U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Urging Texas to Eat Nutria Rats

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services has recently released their "5 Invasive Species List".

On the list are nutria, and The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services are strongly urging Texans to start eating them.

Photo courtesy of Deidre Cormier

Wildlife Service 5 Invasive Species List

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a statement urging U.S. residents to start hunting and eating 5 invasive species found around Texas the United States.

An invasive species is any living organism, like a plant, animal, insect, fungus, or bacteria, that is not native to a specific area.

Invasive species cause harm to the environment they're in, a State's economy, and even human health when introduced into a place they normally wouldn't be.

The 5 invasive species on The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's list are -

1.Northern Snakehead Fish

2. Nutria

3. The Green Iguana

4. Black, Silver, Bighead and Grass Carp

5. Feral Hogs

Unsplash Via Šárka Krňávková

How Did Nutria Get To Texas?

Much like how nutria showed up in Louisiana, nutria showed up in Texas in 1940s for fur farms.

After the fur industry went belly up, many nutria farmers simply released their nutria into the wild.

Not a good idea.

Now, nutria have become a big problem in Texas.

One is that nutria have no natural predators, and as such their population quickly exploded.

The other major problem with nutria is that they destroy the coastal areas in Texas, damage sugarcane and rice crops, and compete for food with native Texas species.

So, what can do about this nutria problem in Texas?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is begging Texas to please, please start eating them.

Unsplash Via Martin Krchnacek

Government Wants Texas To Eat Nutria Rats

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is urging Texas to start eating nutria before they destroy even more coastal areas in the Lone Star State.

From Yahoo.com -

"Government conservationists are hoping that the appeal of a tasty meal might encourage local hunters to help support their anti-nutria campaign.

The USFWS describes nutria meat as lean and mild, with a flavor similar to 'rabbit or even the dark meat of a turkey.'"

Nutria meat is reportedly a clean, lean meat that tastes a little rabbit.

What do you think? Should Texas start hunting and eating nutria?