Facts about Coypu
Coypu is the only member of the family Myocastoridae. This animal is native to the temperate South America. It is also known as nutria. In Dutch it is known as beverrat (beaver rat). In France, the coypu is known as a ragondin. In Italy it is sometimes called castorino (little beaver), by which its fur is known. Coypu are herbivorous, feeding on river plants. In the Chesapeake Bay region in Maryland, where they were introduced in the 1940s, coypu are believed to have destroyed 7,000 to 8,000 acres (2,800 to 3,200 ha) of marshland in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. In response, by 2003, a multi-million dollar eradication program was underway. Coypu are the host for a nematode parasite (Strongyloides myopotami) that can infect the skin of humans causing dermatitis similar to strongyloidiasis. The condition is also called "nutria itch". They live in burrows alongside stretches of water. Adults are typically weigh 5 to 9 kg (11 to 20 lb). A fully grown coypu is 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24 in) in body length, with a 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) tail. They have a coarse, darkish brown outer fur with a soft under-fur. Two distinguishing marks are the presence of a white patch on the muzzle, and webbed hind feet. They can also be identified by their bright orange-yellow incisor teeth (unlike rats, which have brownish yellow incisors). The nipples of female coypu are high on her flanks. This allows their young to feed while the female is in the water. It has also been introduced to North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, primarily by fur ranchers. |
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