Ask each student to choose one of these animals to research and write a short paper. After their research, have each student write the name of their animal on a piece of paper. Then have the student who did research comment on that animal. Based on all of the animals studied, discuss whether there seem to be more positive or negative effects from introducing non-native species to environments. Today, the nutria's range in Virginia includes the counties of the Eastern Shore as well as Norfolk, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.
Nutria thrive in fresh or brackish marshes where there is abundant aquatic vegetation for food.
A nocturnal animal classified as a nuisance species, nutria will also feed on corn and may damage crops when corn fields occur near the lakes or wetlands they inhabit. Nutria frequently occupy muskrat houses and are known to use the tops of muskrat houses as defecation and feeding sites. Unlike nutria, however, muskrats build conical lodges out of marsh vegetation, two to three feet above water, for nesting and cover. A muskrat's home range is fairly small, and it usually stays within 100 yards of its lodge, foraging primarily on vegetation but occasionally on clams, frogs and fish. In South America, nutria are the ecologic equivalent of our muskrat here in North America.