Coypu, better known as nutria, are an invasive South American rodent that USGS NAS confirms has established a genuine breeding population in Texas, with 231 documented nonindigenous occurrences statewide. The more than 4,100 records here trace wet eastern Texas through the Brazos and Trinity river corridors and Caddo National Grasslands, wherever slow water, marshy banks, and dense aquatic vegetation give this large, semi-aquatic rodent both food and burrowing ground.
Records peak in March and April, then drop by more than two-thirds through July and August, a swing that likely reflects both spring breeding activity and reduced visibility once thick summer vegetation closes in over waterways. Nutria burrows and heavy grazing on marsh vegetation can seriously damage wetland habitat, which is why sightings here often trace back to active management and control efforts rather than passive observation alone.
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