NUTRIA
An invasive species that causes erosion, loss of shoreline vegetation, and carries transmissible diseases to humans. They are legally classified as a “Prohibited Aquatic Animal Species” in Washington State.
HISTORY
Nutria (Myocastor coypus) were first spotted at Union Bay in 2005. By October 2008, SUBA joined with the Portage Bay and Boyer Neighborhood Improvement Associations, the University of Washington, Seattle Parks Department and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in developing a plan to control the nutria population. Then, there were over 1,000 nutria living in both Union Bay and Portage Bay. By 2012, all had been removed.
Even though removed from the area, nutria still inhabit other areas of the state and travel up and down the coast on inland waterways. SUBA continues to monitor for nutria in Union Bay and works with the USDA when sightings occur.
