What is the Capacity for Nutria Populations to Grow?
Like most rodents, nutria are very prolific. They are ready to breed at 4-7 months of age and may breed throughout the year. Nutria can produce up to three litters of four offspring each year, but litter sizes can reach 13 young. After mating, females give birth in a little over 4 months and are ready to breed again within 1-2 days of giving birth. Young nutria are capable of surviving without the mother after about 4 days of nursing, but most young continue to nurse for 7-8 weeks and remain with their mother for about 10 weeks. Mortality, or the percentage of animals that die in a population each year, is estimated to be 80% during the first year of life and few animals live more than 2 or 3 years. Predators of nutria in the Chesapeake Bay include humans, bald eagles, and carnivorous mammals.
