Nutria Bodies

Nutria Bodies

Credit: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Piles of nutria carcasses line beaches in Mississippi after Hurricane Isaac flooded the invasive rodents' marsh habitats.

Dead Nutria

Dead Nutria

Credit: WLOX

Tens of thousands of drowned nutria have washed up on beaches in Mississippi after Hurricane Isaac.

Nutria Washed Ashore

Nutria Washed Ashore

Credit: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Clean-up crews are removing the rotting nutria carcasses with pitchforks and front-end loaders. The smell is reportedly terrible.

Dead Nutria

Dead Nutria

Credit: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Mississippi officials estimate that there could be as many as 20,000 dead nutria (several tons' worth) washing ashore.

Nutria Family

Nutria Family

Credit: southmind, Shutterstockr

Also called coypu, nutria (Myocastor coypus) were introduced to every continent except Antarctica and Australia from South America, according to the USGS. Though the semi-aquatic rodents are viewed as pests by many, as they destroy large swaths of marsh vegetation and crops, they are valued for their fur in some regions. It was partly this interest in their fur that led to their spread throughout the world.

Nutria

Nutria

Credit: Eduard Kyslynskyy, Shutterstock

Weighing on average 12 to 15 pounds (though they can get as large as 20 pounds), nutria are like giant rats. They sport large front teeth and forepaws with four clawed toes and a non-functional toe; their hind feet are tipped with 5 clawed toes, four of which are webbed to help the rodents move through their watery homes.

Nutria Corpses

Nutria Corpses

Credit: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Nutria corpses dot the shoreline in this image from a Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality field worker.

Dead Nutria

Dead Nutria

Credit: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Officials expect more nutria to wash ashore in the next several days.

Dead Nutria

Dead Nutria

Credit: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

Nutria are invasive species that live in marshlands along the Gulf Coast.