I've seen lots of muskrats and quite a few otters and beavers but nutria
to my satisfaction only once, that was early this spring on the southern
sector of Ridgefield NWR near Woodland, Clark Co.

Gene Hunn.

On Mon, 3 Jun 1996, Kelly Cassidy wrote:

> Nutria records for Washington:
>
> East Side:
> Ponds in SE Okanogan County
> Along the Yakima River
>
> West Side:
>
> Wahkiakum Co. (prob the J.B. Hanson refuge)
> SW Pacific County
> Thurston County, west of Olympia
> King County, 2 Township/Ranges, one probably from Lake Washington, one
> from directly east
> Grays Harbor County, along the Chehalis R.
> Clark County, near Vancouver
>
> Based on museum records and reliable sightings, they are along the
> Columbia River and tributaries from the mouth to the Vancouver area and
> up the Cowlitz River; along the Chehalis River and in the wetlands of
> Thurston Co; and along the east side of the Puget Sound from Skagit to
> King Co. They are confined to low-lying wetlands. We have no evidence
> they occur in Whatcom or Pierce County, but they are spreading from
> original colonies on the west side, so their presence would not be a
> surprise. They do not appear to have spread from the original colonies
> on the east side. Probably can't take the cold winters. They do much
> better in warmer climates (Oregon's Willamette Valley, for example).
>
> Any Tweeter with a reliable observation, preferably backed up with
> photo or other evidence, from Whatcom County, Pierce County, or other
> areas not mentioned, please feel free to contradict me.
>
> Kelly Cassidy
>