Jan. 6—If a beaver and a rat had a baby, it might look something like a nutria. The semiaquatic rodent, which is an invasive species in the Northwest, sports large, orange teeth and a rat-like tail.

Don’t be fooled by the cute-looking ball of fur with dark button eyes — the nutria is a menace to be reckoned with, according to the state of California. The state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife ...

They’re an ecological menace literally known as “river rats.” But is the nutria maybe a little cute? Just a tiny bit? Nutria, according to an informative new report on the creatures’ spread in ...