A Partnership Approach to Invasive Species Management: The Maryland Nutria Project

1. Tudor Farms A Partnership Approach to Invasive Species Management: The Maryland Nutria Project

4. 1999, nutria established in 15 states (nutria moved into Tennessee) • 2003, Nutria are an invasive species in 16 states (Add New Mexico and South Carolina?) • Nationwide, nutria occupy more than 1,046,425 acres of federal lands managed by USFWS

5. Nutria Distribution on the Delmarva Peninsula • 1943: Introduced. • 1968: <150 1990s: 35,000 - 50,000 • Current range: Wilmington, DE to Chincoteague, VA • Abundant at Back Bay NWR • Increasing sightings on Maryland’s western shore.

6. Nutria Foraging Behavior • Favored foods: 3-square bulrush, Cattail. • Roots, rhizomes, and tubers. • Root mat compromised. • Agricultural crops.

7. Nutria Eat Out

8. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge 1938 Aerial Photo 1989 Aerial Photo

9. Herbivory is a Significant Source of Marsh Loss

10. Tudor Farms Marsh Restoration/Nutria Control Partners U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Chesapeake Bay Field Office Maryland Department of Natural Resources USDA, Wildlife Services Ducks Unlimited, Inc. University of Maryland Eastern Shore USGS, Maryland Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Chesapeake Bay Foundation University of Maryland College Park USGS, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Tudor Farms, Inc. Maryland Department of the Environment National Civilian Conservation Corps, Americorps National Trappers Association International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Salisbury Zoo The Wildlife Society MD/DE Chapter National Aquarium in Baltimore Maryland Fur Trappers Association National Fish and Wildlife Foundation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District Congressman Wayne T. Gilchrest

11. Maryland Nutria Project Eradication Goals • Develop systematic depopulation strategies • Develop detection techniques • Develop new control tools • Determine feasibility of eradication Delmarva-wide • Develop techniques that are applicable elsewhere

12. Nutria Eradication Basic Strategy • Aggressive depopulation to systematically eradicate • Integrated techniques • Trapping, Shooting, Dogs • GIS/GPS • Follow-up monitoring to prevent reinfestation • Detect residual populations • Repeated quarterly or seasonally

13. Trapping Units • 40 acres in size • Trapped sequentially • Bounded by non-nutria habitat • Push nutria into un-trapped units

14. Nutria Harvest Methods

20. Techniques Developed/Enhanced • Floating Conibears • Floating Platforms w/ Drowning Footholds • Snares for Live Capture • False bed sets • Detection Dogs • Remote Camera Detection • Attractants

21. Monitoring • Begins 3 Month Intervals post treatment • Allow sign deterioration • Reproductive cycle • Stratify effort • High Priority (every 3 months) • Medium Priority (every 6 months) • Low Priority (every 12 months) • Priority levels based on initial capture densities or previous monitoring findings

22. Area Trapped

24. Nutria Captured by Annual Trapping Area & Fiscal Year

25. Dorchester County - Blackwater NWR

26. All Nutria Captures in Dorchester

27. FY08 Monitor Captures

28. FY08 Source Population Removed

29. Nutria Control Benefits

31. What Now?

35. Judas Goats → Judas Nutria??

36. Contact Steve Kendrot USDA APHIS Wildlife Services skendrot@aphis.usda.gov