It almost never snows here in Portland/Beaverton, Oregon. Maybe a few inches a couple times a year. But on New Year's Day this year (2004) we got a whole bucket load. Not having to work, I decided to take the new camera for a spin - while bending perilously far over a railing to try to get a picture of a nutria in the water, I almost didn't see these two baby nutria right in the middle of the sidewalk! (Left) They ran under a bush, and in my fumbling attempts to get the camera to zoom, I got a little too close! (Middle) I love the close-up of the nose on the nutria on the left there, though. So cute! Finally got a half-way decent picture of one of them from above, though that twig is in the way. I love the contrast of the nutria against the snow, which I don't get to see very often around here!
Alas, by January 4th the snow had melted off, followed by freezing but sunny weather - I was surprised to see so many nutria out and about, soaking up the sun. (Who says they're nocturnal??) Many of my pictures were over-zoomed and too pixelated, but this one of two nutria turned out pretty well. I just missed them snapping, hippo-like, at each other in the water. Check out the orange teeth on the one in the front!
These two are from the same day, by the Beaverton Transit Center. This big guy let me take several pictures of him (her?) from quite close before he jumped back in the water and swam away. That's also him in the close-up on the main page.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert on nutria. All information on this site could be mistaken. If you need to be certain, check an official source first! Also, although I love getting e-mail, I'm afraid I'm not qualified to give you advise about nutria care or removal. Sorry...
Copyright: Everything on this site is copyrighted to myself. All rights reserved. That includes the photos, which I took. If you want to use them, ask first. If you want to quote me, ask first. Contact Me.