California water officials warn of ‘two-faced creature’

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) issued a comical warning Wednesday about a “two-faced creature” known as the nutria, a rodent said to look like a cross between a rat and a beaver.

The nutria—known for its vivid orange teeth—is native to South America and was introduced to the United States in the 1800s as part of the fur trade. However, once the trade rapidly declined, nutria began wreaking havoc on the US coastal environments they populated and have presented a problem ever since. Maryland spent millions working to eradicate the species, and other states are considering following suit.

However, the species is not just an East Coast problem.

DWR issued the warning in the form of an educational poster for California Invasive Species Action Week depicting two nutria. One looks sweet and cuddly and has a halo with the words “I’m so cute” nearby. The other has red eyes and characteristic vivid orange teeth with the words “But I’m a monster”.

The title of the poster reads: “Creature with Two Faces”.

“Behind that cute exterior lies a monster,” DWR posted at X, formerly Twitter. “Beware of the dark side of the nutria. They may look harmless, but they are invasive rodents that have the ability to destroy wetlands and damage compost.”

A DWR spokesman said Newsweek that the nutria post is just one in a series for Invasive Species Week, which runs through June 9. Earlier this week, DWR shared a similar poster about quagga mussels.

According to a website included in the post on X, nutria are the most prevalent in central California. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has deployed nutria survey teams from the Delta through the San Joaquin Valley.

Nutrias consume up to 25 percent of their body weight in plant material each day, CDFW said.

“Due to their feeding habits, up to 10 times the amount of plant material consumed is destroyed, causing extensive damage to the native plant community, soil structure and nearby agricultural crops,” the website states.

“Loss of plant cover and soil organic matter results in severe soil erosion, in some cases turning the marsh into open water. Further, nutria burrow into banks and ledges, creating complex dens that extend up to 6 meters deep and 50 meters offshore and often cause severe stream bank erosion, increased sedimentation, furrow erosion and roadbed collapse.”

CDFW said it has trapped and removed more than 4,300 nutria since 2017. California residents are also allowed to trap nutria on their property.