10/05/2022
Non native introduced invasive animal & plant species wreak havoc in our native landscapes! Understand that even one plant or animal may have a colossal negative effect on the surrounding ecosystem.
Good riddance to bad rodents. The Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project celebrates success!
Nutria and their destructive feeding habits have destroyed thousands of acres of marshes since the 1940s. These invasive rodents were introduced to Maryland's Delmarva peninsula from South America for the fur market. After 20 years of hard work with our partners and private landowners, the Chesapeake Bay has eradicated the invasive nutria — who for years has wreaked havoc on marsh landscapes and caused a staggering $5.8 million in estimated economic loss.
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland has experienced some of the worst damage from the invasive nutria, with more than 5,000 acres of wetlands lost due to the combined siege of nutria impacts, sea-level rise, and land subsidence.
The removal of nutria reinforces other ongoing efforts to bolster marsh resilience in the Chesapeake against these threats. Learn more about the success of the Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project and why it matters: http://ow.ly/sj9050KRNTv
Photo: A before and after image of a wetland affected by invasive nutria, by USFWS.
