Coypu
A species of Coypu Scientific name : Myocastor coypus Genus : Coypu
Coypu, A species of Coypu
Scientific name: Myocastor coypus
Genus: Coypu
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Denis Kurkov , used under CC-BY-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Description
The nutria is occasionally confused with the muskrat from North America, which has also established itself in Europe as a neozoon, but is smaller and has a flattened tail.
General Info
Lifespan
3-6 years
Diet
Coypu primarily feeds on aquatic vegetation, consuming large amounts of water reeds, sedges, and rushes. Its diet occasionally includes mollusks, beetles, and small fish, signifying an opportunistic feeding behavior.
Appearance
The coypu is a large, semi-aquatic rodent with a broad head and rounded body. It has short, stout legs ending in webbed feet, and its tail is long, thin, and scaly. Its dense fur varies from dark brown to yellowish, with lighter underparts. Notably, it possesses long, sharp incisors that are visibly orange due to a hard outer enamel. There is no significant difference in appearance across gender, age, or subspecies.
Behavior
Coypu are semi-aquatic and social species known for their crepuscular activities. Although primarily herbivorous, they exhibit versatility in diet based on environmental availability. Their territorial behaviors involve male-dominant hierarchies, often defending particular feeding and den sites. Significant physical adaptations include webbed hind feet for proficient swimming and sharp incisors for foraging.
Population
Decreasing
Photo By Denis Kurkov , used under CC-BY-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original