Effective Management of Invasive Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in the UK and the USA

Abstract

It is the better to take preventative measures against the natural intrusion in advance from invasive alien species that reduce biodiversity and cause economic loss to humans. If the prevention of intrusion and spread fails, we need to make active control and eradication. This study aims to introduce nutria (Myocastor coypus) control cases performed in the United Kingdom and the United States and to provide information for the contribution of nutria management measure improvements. The nutria eradication campaign in the United Kingdom was developed as a long-term plan based on sufficient understanding on the management target and objective and suitable support. Sufficient information on nutria was accumulated and the management strategy was flexibly modified according to the changes in management that were proactively reflected in the field. Regarding the eradication project at Chesapeake Bay in the United States, based on long-term ecological information, more advanced capture technology than in the United Kingdom were introduced and the eradication plan, strategy and implementation were configured by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the eradication campaign in the United Kingdom. The successful cases in the United Kingdom and the United State provide an information on how to improv the nutria management measure. For the eradication of nutria, it is necessary to reach a consensus between stakeholders and to form a consultative group between related organizations for periodic communication. Opinions on the field must be actively accepted in the consultation process for strategy and policy decision, and the eradication plan needs to be developed based on a management index. The eradication plan is required to be managed, evaluated and adjusted in a systematic way. Scientific management must be introduced and the management performance must be evaluated objectively so that a practical plan can be flexibly adjusted. It is also required to secure a long-term budget support and a stable organization and to input a concentrated budget at the proper period when there is high efficiency of eradication.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Nutria (Myocastor coypus) in South Korea

“…The Korean Ministry of Environment began investigating the status of nutrias in 2006 and designated the nutria as an invasive alien species in 2009. Previous studies reported that the settlement of nutrias in South Korea is concentrated in the Nakdong River basin [19][20][21][22].…”