Nutria sightings on Rømø raise fears over unstable dikes

Several sightings of a nutria on Rømø have raised concern because the invasive species can damage dikes, DR reports, citing a press release from the Wadden Sea National Park.

National park employees and local residents have seen the animal several times within a short period. Nutria are considered an invasive species in Europe and originate from South America, where they are also farmed in countries including Germany.

“We do not want it on Rømø. It simply cannot be allowed to dig into the dikes and make them unstable,” Morten Sextus, dike supervisor for Juvre Dike Association, said in the press release.

Sextus has spoken with the national park’s predation coordinator about finding the animal.

The national park is asking anyone who sees the nutria to contact the predation coordinator.

Tønder Municipality also reported an unwanted visit from a nutria earlier this year. Earlier this month, one was spotted in Odense Fjord.