We have lived in Preuilly for 12 years, and were visiting for 3 years before then. In all that time I don't recall ever having seen a Coypu in the section of the Claise as it flows through town. Last week we were out walking, and crossing the passerelle (foot bridge) across the Claise by the swimming pool we noticed spreading ripples in the water.
The Coypu entered a patch of water-lilies and stopped - he could see us, but thought he was hidden from view. I pointed the camera in his general direction and started taking pics - the sunlight meant that I couldn't actually see on the camera's screen where the camera was pointing, and the small camera doesn't have a viewfinder.
I moved towards the edge of the bridge to see if I could take some better photos, and the Coypu dived, surfacing about 30 metres downstream. I took another photo, which shows the ripples.
Coypu Myocastor coypus (Ragondin in French) and Musk Rat Ondatra zibethicus (Rat musqué in French) are vermin and there is an organised campaign in Indre et Loire to eliminate them to protect plantlife. The Coypu were intoduced from South America to France as farmed fur animals in the 19th century (as were American Mink and Musk rats from North America). Following escapes and deliberate releases in the 1930’s when demand for fur fell they have spread to most regions of France.
2 comments:
" there is an organised campaign in Indre et Loire to eliminate them to protect plantlife."....
Like hell there is an organised campaign.... in words "Yes".... in reality it makes Boris Johnson's Covid rulings seem better than New Zealand!!
Terrible creatures. They overran the Camargue and damaged the banks of streams and plant life. I don't know if they have been controlled at this point, but I doubt it.
bonnie in provence
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