UPDATE 8/24/12: Nutria, now known more as a pest than for its fur, is causing ecological problems beyond its former Louisiana boundaries. Wildlife officials in Virginia, Delaware, Maryland and at least 15 other states are searching for ways to eradicate the rodent whose rapidly-multiplying populations are destroying marshes that are habitats for young crabs and fish and are a natural filter for such bodies of water as Chesapeake Bay. Louisiana’s nutria population, once estimated at 20 million, is down sharply because of a bounty program. Virginia and Maryland are drafting eradication programs, but are concerned about the ongoing damage. A Maryland official estimates that, if left unchecked, nutria damage to the Chesapeake Bay could cost around $37 million a year in lost economic activity. Although the fur has enjoyed popularity in the past, both long-haired and sheared, as garments and linings, it is costly and time-consuming to dress and there are few – if any – processors who would handle it.
I was recently speaking with a designer friend about her upcoming purse line made with exotic skins, including exquisite alligator skins from Louisiana and Alabama. These two states ranch alligator and produce an unbelievably gorgeous product. So, when it turned to talk about her fall 2012 outerwear line (she thinks ahead) I suggested another Southern luxury material – nutria.
Nutria is another beautiful product that has stirred heated opposition from animal rights zealots. Yet, while they stand outside fur salons screaming “No on Fur” with photos of beautiful nutria coats marked over with a red X, these pesky, destructive creatures are destroying tens of thousands of acres of wetlands, damaging irrigation systems, chewing through car and truck tires and wooden house siding, eroding river banks and displacing native animals. Communities across the South are nearly begging wildlife managers to do something to control their populations.
Nutria, which is regaining popularity in fashion and happens to be ‘the’ men’s fur of choice, usually comes from the Louisiana-Alabama region. It is often compared to beaver when sheared and looks great natural or dyed, making it a versatile fabric enjoyed by designers such as Christian Louboutin, Michael Kors, and Oscar de la Renta. It is also a moderately priced fur that is both warm and durable, making it the fur of choice for many retailers.
These semi-aquatic rodents (think of them as a cross between a beaver and a rabbit/squirrel) are originally from South-America and are currently over-taking large wetland areas because they don’t have any natural predators. In some areas the damage from nutria has become so severe that bounty programs have been put in place to control populations.
So once again we have a destructive pest who’s population must be controlled and, rather than wasting the carcass, the fur is used to create beautiful, warm and durable fashion. It’s hardly a difficult fashion choice. But now, it is also an ecological one.
Things That Make You Go……hmmmmmmmm!
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I don’t have a problem with fur or leather as long as the entire animal is being used. We eat beef. We use cow hide to make suede and leather. But are we eating the animal whose skin is being used to make the suede and leather? Because I can get behind that. Much as I can get behind using Nutria for fur if these are wild nutria, hunted not just for the fur, but also used for the meat. If it isn’t done this way, the argument of what the nutria is doing to the environment is irrelevant as the animal you just skinned was raised solely for its fur and was not out in the wild, damaging the environment. If it wasn’t eaten, and it is a food source for some in Louisiana as well as in Asian countries (though I personally am from Louisiana and have never eaten one, though I have hand fed some at a park once… these are not vicious creatures), then it is being hunted only for the fashion industry. We no longer require fur from animals to keep us warm and by throwing out the meat, we are wasting the animal for something that is not necessary for our survival.
Thank you for your comment Tori. You must understand that the imapct of the nutria on its environment is NOT irrelevant. It is the very core of the discussion. Nutria are not “raised solely for its fur” as you indicate. Trappers work with wildlife management professionals to control populations that would otherwise proliferate too quickly and upset the ecological balance. Rather than simply dispose of the animal it is used for its fur, its meat, its oils and its bones providinig trappers with the financial incentive that wildlife management budgets may not allow.
We are forgetting that this animal is not native to the US. It was brought here in the early 20th century in hopes of being raised for its fur. Back in the day, the fur wasn’t commercially profitable so they were released into the environment where they are wreaking havoc. Now for some reason they have become commercially viable and I think that this would be a great way to 1. help the environment, 2. put people back to work, and 3 using the animal in a productive way. As far as the meat of the nutria, even using it for dog or cat food would be a way to prevent waste.
There is so many ways not to waste the meat of the nutria. As state before, it can be used in the manufacture of pet food. It can also be feed to pigs, alligators and crawfish for their production for human consumption.
Bones can be ground up for fertilizer. With comes the security of knowing something is being done to protect our wetlands and levies in Louisiana.
Thanks for taking the time to send us your thoughts!
we are starting a new company that will utilize nutria in healthy alternative dog treats! set to launch late 2011. based in baton rouge louisiana and using all locally grown produce… stay tuned!
Thanks for letting us know! You know, mink meat is also used for high-end pet food. There goes another argument used by those pesky anti-fur folks who continue to claim that only the fur is used!