Pest invading France costs the European Union 12 billion euros a year
The coypu has become a real nightmare for European ecosystems. This harmless-looking exotic animal has rapidly invaded many European countries, including France, and their aquatic environments.
The coypu, a semi-aquatic rodent, originates from South America. Although limited to certain farms, the animal quickly spread throughout Europe, particularly in wetlands such as the Marais Poitevin in France. It's everywhere in the country, with a reproduction rate (a litter can contain up to 10 young) that enables it to colonize new lands, from river banks to coastal marshes. And as the Aquitaineonline website points out, the coypu's ability to acclimatize to climatic variations and diverse habitats makes it a difficult species to control.
Destruction of essential habitats
Because it feeds on a wide variety of aquatic plants, the coypu destroys a host of habitats essential to native species such as fish and waterbirds. Its proliferation therefore represents a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems. Where they colonize, biodiversity diminishes drastically. What's more, its burrows cause significant damage to man-made and natural infrastructures, impacting both the fauna and flora that thrive in wetlands. According to some experts, if measures aren't taken quickly, the survival of ecosystems such as those in the Marais Poitevin is directly threatened.
Diseases transmissible to humans
Another major drawback is that this semi-aquatic rodent is a vector of diseases, which can affect both animal and human populations. In Europe, the coypu is considered one of the most invasive exotic species, causing significant economic and ecological damage, reports Aquitaineonline. Biodiversity losses and costs linked to the disruption of ecosystems by the coypu are estimated at 12 billion euros per year for the European Union.
Hunting and trapping remain effective tools for regulating the development of this species and combating its expansion. In addition, some regions use other, more innovative methods, such as biological or chemical sterilization.
(AsD - Source: Aquitaineonline - Illustration: Unsplash)