Mississippi beaches awash in dead rodents

[treesparrow]

More than 5,000 dead nutria on Hancock beaches

A dead nutria lies along Beach Boulevard in Waveland, Miss., one of many that died in the wake of Hurricane Isaac, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012. / Rogelio V. Solis/AP Photo

BAY ST. LOUIS — Thousands of dead nutria have washed ashore on Hancock County beaches during Isaac.

Hancock County officials say they are concerned that the nutria - large semiaquatic rodents - could create a health and environmental hazard.

"They're in the tide and just floating in and they're probably going to continue coming in over the next several days. There's no telling how many thousands we're going to have," Waveland Mayor David Garcia tells WLOX-TV.

Department of Environmental Quality officials say so far they've counted more than 5,000 dead nutria on Hancock County beaches, but they say that number could top 10,000 before they all finish washing ashore.

Hancock County faced a similar nutria problem after Hurricane Gustav.

"If you're out here, it's a terrible smell," Garcia said.

County officials are hoping the state will hire crews and pay for removal and disposal. If that doesn't happen, officials will have to contract out the job themselves.

"Either way, we've got a time frame that we need to get out there and get it taken care of," said Hancock County Road Manager Bill Johnson.

"Regular debris can sit out there for a little while until we take care of it. Because it's such a large quantity of carcasses that need to be cleaned up immediately, we've got a short window here. They just get to the point where they are unbearable."

http://www.clarionledger.com/viewart/20120903/NEWS/209030316/Mississippi-beaches-awash-dead-rodents?odyssey=mod|mostview

 

[Atuya]

Only nutria, or were there reports of other aquatic mammals?

Nutria are an invasive species in the Gulf states, and all of the US for that matter. They are non-native, and were brought to the US in the late 1800s to be raised for fur.

These critters cause damage by burrowing into water retention levees and stream banks. They cause "permanent" damage to wetlands and marshes with their eating habits.

I don't think too many folk in Mississippi will shed a tear in this case.

Importantly, this could be an example of Nature's self cleansing program in action. I'm asking myself if I can think of any other invasive, prolific, and non-native species on this planet out of balance with Nature...

 

[loreta]

When something like this happens we tend to forget the animals, that live also a tragedy. I am so sorry for the nutrias and all the animals that are victims also of an hurricane.