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Coypu

Myocastor coypus

Mammal · family Echimyidae · order Rodentia

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Coypu
Photo: Philippe Amelant, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Longest recorded life
19 years[3]

The coypu, also called nutria, is a rodent in the family Echimyidae[4][5]. NatureServe ranks it as Secure worldwide, and it is listed as an introduced species in 21 US states[2][6].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the coypu a global rank of G5, which means Secure[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The coypu is not listed as Endangered or Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. USGS counts it as an exotic nonindigenous aquatic species in parts of the country[8]. In every state NatureServe ranks it, the rank is SNA[6].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
USGS nonindigenous aquatic species[8] Listed as exotic in parts of the US

Where Coypu lives

NatureServe lists the coypu as introduced, not native, in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington[9]. Online observation records on GBIF come most often from Texas, Oregon, Louisiana, North Carolina and Washington[10]. Those counts follow observer effort, not how many animals live there[10].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: introduced, state rank SNAWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: introduced, state rank SNAORNevada: introduced, state rank SNANVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: introduced, state rank SNANJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: introduced, state rank SNAUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: introduced, state rank SNANEMissouri: introduced, state rank SNAMOKentucky: introduced, state rank SNAKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: introduced, state rank SNAVAMaryland: introduced, state rank SNAMDDelaware: introduced, state rank SNADEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: introduced, state rank SNANMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: introduced, state rank SNAARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: introduced, state rank SNANCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: introduced, state rank SNAOKLouisiana: introduced, state rank SNALAMississippi: introduced, state rank SNAMSAlabama: introduced, state rank SNAALGeorgia: introduced, state rank SNAGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: introduced, state rank SNATXFlorida: introduced, state rank SNAFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[6].
Show state ranks (21 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaSNANot Applicable
ArkansasSNANot Applicable
DelawareSNANot Applicable
FloridaSNANot Applicable
GeorgiaSNANot Applicable
KentuckySNANot Applicable
LouisianaSNANot Applicable
MarylandSNANot Applicable
MississippiSNANot Applicable
MissouriSNANot Applicable
NebraskaSNANot Applicable
NevadaSNANot Applicable
New JerseySNANot Applicable
New MexicoSNANot Applicable
North CarolinaSNANot Applicable
OklahomaSNANot Applicable
OregonSNANot Applicable
TexasSNANot Applicable
UtahSNANot Applicable
VirginiaSNANot Applicable
WashingtonSNANot Applicable

Habitat

NatureServe records the coypu in herbaceous wetlands, shallow water, big and medium rivers, river mouths and tidal rivers, and also cropland with hedgerows[11]. It prefers freshwater marshes but also lives in brackish marshes, which are a mix of fresh and salt water[12]. For nests it uses burrows, old muskrat houses or thick plant growth[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

The coypu is a herbivore, which means it eats plants[13]. Its diet is a wide mix of vegetation, especially water plants[14]. The typical length recorded is 140 cm (55 in)[15]. Gestation lasts 131 days, and females have several litters of 3 to 5 young each year[16][17]. Young become sexually mature in 4 to 8 months[17]. The longest recorded lifespan is 19 years in captivity, and that is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 140 cm (55 in)
Typical adult weight[18] 11.4 kg (25 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 19 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[19] 6
Gestation or incubation[16] 131 days
Female maturity[20] 152 days (about 0.4 years)
Food habits[13] Herbivore
Active[21] nocturnal
Migration[22] non-migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[23]

  • 100% other plant material

When to look for it

The coypu is nocturnal, which means it is most active at night[24][25]. NatureServe lists it as a non-migrant, though populations can differ[22]. It breeds year-round[17]. On GBIF, most records fall in January, April and December[26]. These records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[26].

January: 1,175 recordsJanFebruary: 953 recordsFebMarch: 992 recordsMarApril: 1,033 recordsAprMay: 789 recordsMayJune: 580 recordsJunJuly: 475 recordsJulAugust: 540 recordsAugSeptember: 615 recordsSepOctober: 583 recordsOctNovember: 621 recordsNovDecember: 1,864 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[26].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January1,175
February953
March992
April1,033
May789
June580
July475
August540
September615
October583
November621
December1,864

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Coypu as present in 13 park units[27]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, Oregon, Louisiana, North Carolina, Washington[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the coypu endangered?
No. It is not listed as Endangered or Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure[2].
Where does the coypu live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as introduced in 21 states, including Texas, Louisiana, Oregon and Washington[9][6].
What does the coypu eat?
It is a herbivore that eats a wide mix of plants, especially water plants[13][14].
How long is a coypu?
The typical length recorded by NatureServe is 140 cm (55 in)[15].
How long does a coypu live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 19 years in captivity[3]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].

Facts and sources

  1. Coypu is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Coypu: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 19 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Coypu (Myocastor coypus) is a mammal in the family Echimyidae, order Rodentia. NatureServe Explorer
  5. Other English names listed by NatureServe for Coypu: Coypo, Nutri, Nutria, nutria, Ragondin. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe state ranks for Coypu (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. USGS lists Coypu as a nonindigenous aquatic species in parts of the United States (exotic). USGS NAS
  9. NatureServe lists Coypu as introduced (not native) in: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia,... NatureServe Explorer
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Coypu: Texas, Oregon, Louisiana, North Carolina, Washington. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Coypu: Cropland/hedgerow, Herbaceous wetland, Big river, Medium river, Shallow water, River mouth/tidal river. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Coypu. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Herbivore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on food for Coypu. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 140 cm (55 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 131 days. AnAge
  17. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Coypu. NatureServe Explorer
  18. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 11.4 kg (25 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  19. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 6. AnAge
  20. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 152 days (about 0.4 years). AnAge
  21. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  22. NatureServe migration category for Coypu: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  23. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 100% other plant material. EltonTraits 1.0
  24. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal. NatureServe Explorer
  25. NatureServe notes on phenology for Coypu. NatureServe Explorer
  26. GBIF observation records of Coypu in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  27. NPSpecies park lists recording Coypu as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Philippe Amelant, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.