The US Fish and Wildlife Services has issued a bizarre request for the public to catch and eat a furry creature, advertising that the rodent is ‘invasive’ and ‘delicious.’
The department posted a photo of the nutria, a rodent resembling a beaver with shocking bright orange fangs, and pleaded with the public to, ‘Save a Swamp, Sauté a Nutria.’
‘If your state has nutria, check your local regulations to see the rules for how to hunt, capture and then ultimately, cook these nuisance critters,’ Fish and Wildlife Services wrote.
Nutrias are rodents native to South America and were brought to the US during the fur trade in the 1940s.
Now the rodent has infested parts of the US along the Gulf of America coast, the Atlantic Coast, and the Pacific Northwest.
Their meat has been compared to rabbit or the dark meat of turkey. They munch on plants and burrow in the ground, which is destroying the marshlands.
Despite the FWS’ plea, locals were unconvinced of the creature’s taste and expressed disgust in the comments.
‘I’d eat a lot of things but I draw the line at giant rats,’ one comment read under the post.
The Fish and Wildlife Services is encouraging the public to hunt and eat nutrias to prevent the damage the invasive species has on the environment
Nutria can be cooked into a gumbo, which is a popular Cajun dish in Louisiana
Nutrias can be identified by their distinct orange teeth and white whiskers
‘Nice try. There is no way that beaver rat looking thing tastes delicious,’ another agreed.
‘I’ll never be this hungry but I know my dog wouldn’t care,’ a third joked.
However, some were keen on the idea with one local sharing, ‘Grew up dirt poor in Louisiana and ate quite a few handfuls of these critters growing up lol. They’re really not bad, especially in a sauce piquant.’
‘What wine goes with nutria?’ another joked.
The FWS advised those interested in trying the rat-like meat to check their state’s regulations for hunting them.
Officials warned hunters to be careful when tracking down the invasive species, as nutria often resembles beavers, groundhogs, and muskrats.
Beavers are endangered species and in some states, it is illegal to shoot them. States also have laws against shooting into the water to kill animals to prevent stray bullets from harming other animals or humans.
The California division of the Fish and Wildlife Department expressed concerns with the strategy of killing and eating nutria.
Nutrias are most frequently seen in freshwater ponds, rivers, and lakes
The FWS said that nutria meat tastes similar to rabbit or the dark meat of turkey
‘CDFW does not encourage nutria hunting out of concern other species could be mistakenly targeted,’ Krysten Kellum a spokesperson for the CDFW told the Los Angeles Times.
‘Misidentification is still a huge issue in [California], and accidental take of otters or beavers can have legal implications.’
Mistaking a sea otter for a nutria could have serious consequences, as otters are protected endangered species. Killing a sea otter could result in federal or state fines and even jail time in California.
But for those willing to take the risk, nutria is typically smoked and added to stews or gumbo.
The FWS recommends a smoked nutria and andouille sausage gumbo, a recipe coined by Brian Betty from Hotel Acadiana’s Bayou Bistro in Louisiana.
Officials warned the public to be careful hunting nutrias as they can be mistaken for beavers or otters
Pictured: A nutria spotted near a freshwater source in Texas
If you want to stay on the lookout for the invasive species, nutria are smaller than beavers but larger than groundhogs.
They’re typically about two feet long and weigh between 15 and 20 lbs. Their most distinct characteristics are their long white whiskers, rounded tails, and bright orange buck teeth.
Like beavers, they live near freshwater sources but are native to warmer climates. After the fur market collapsed in the 1940s, nutrias were released into the wild and became invasive species.
They can consume up to 25 percent of their body weight but they destroy up to ten times as much, according to California Fish and Wildlife.
As a result of their destruction, officials have given the go-ahead to kill and cook them up, barring hunters follow the proper protocol.
