California’s most-destructive and least-welcome swamp rodents have arrived in its fifth-largest city. To be precise, they’ve arrived in the stretch of San Joaquin River that traces Fresno’s northwest border. Eight years have passed since a reproducing population of nutria was found in western Merced County — their first discovery in the state since the 1970s. Despite eradication efforts that began in March 2018, nutria have since spread north into the Delta, east into foothills along the Merced River and south into the Fresno Slough and Mendota Wildlife Area. … Since 2023 more nutria have been taken from Fresno County than any county in California, according to CDFW data. In the overall tally of 5,493 animals that dates to 2018, Fresno County (1,140) trails only Merced County (2,593). 
-Written by Fresno Bee columnist Marek Warszawski.​