… Nutria, a creature with the body of a small beaver, webbed feet like a platypus, and the tail of a rat, reappeared in the state’s wetlands a few years ago, nearly four decades after it was considered eradicated. California has been battling the rodent ever since, and recent research by wildlife officials suggests the rodent’s sudden return may have been intentional. The study, released Tuesday by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, found that the state’s nutria populations share a close genetic match with nutria from Oregon. The distance between the states makes it nearly impossible for them to have migrated on their own, according to researchers, which means they were likely transported here intentionally.

Other invasive species news:

• Stocktonia (Stockton, Calif.): Assemblymember Ransom warns state is running out of time to stop spread of golden mussels
• South Tahoe Now (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.): Community meeting for Meyers Aquatic Invasive Species Boat Inspection Station