Chemical to Lure Nutria Out of Coastal Wetlands in Louisiana Found
A team of scientists has identified chemical compounds that can be used as bait to entice nutria into traps. Once in the traps, the nutria can be transported to areas away from the coastal wetlands. Nutria are about ten pounds in size and feed on grasses in coastal wetlands. Nutria are originally from South America, but were introduced to the Louisiana coastal wetlands in the 1930's.
Professor Athula Attygalle, an expert in molecular chemistry and mass-spectrometry based at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, and a team of scientists from Cornell University and University of Iowa, have found a compound the nutria like which does not damage the environment.
Several volatile compounds, including terpenoids, fatty alcohols, fatty acids and some of their esters, were identified from solvent extracts prepared from anal scent glands of nutria according to the lead researcher. The researchers believe that these compounds can serve as a powerful attractant to the nutria. While federal agencies have looked at various poisoning methods, none of those efforts has gone very far because of their harmful effects on other species.
An article published on March 10, 2008 concerning these new compounds can be found in the Environmental News Service in an article entitled: Chemical Found to Lure Nutria Out of Louisiana Wetlands.
Erich P. Rapp.
