Positive A demand for the fur of the nutria developed in the early 19th century and has continued to the present. For this reason the nutria has been introduced almost worldwide, and the nutrias' fur soon became an important economic resource. The nutria also has been hunted by people for its meat. Mares et al. In spite of been intensively trapped for its fur, the nutria is considered a pest in some places because its burrows damage dikes and irrigation facilities.
Burrows sometimes penetrate or weaken the river banks.
Myocastor coypus may raid rice and other cultivated crops, and it competes with native fur bearing animals. According with Mares et al. The higher-level classification of the nutria is controversial. Though nutrias are related to echimyids and capromyids,several morphological differences argue against uniting myocastorids with either of these taxa in the same family. Therefore, currently the nutria is placed in its own family, Myocastoridae.