Wildlife Encounters: Spotting a Nutria

Living closely with nature in Gifu Prefecture, I frequently encounter a variety of wildlife. Our garden often attracts many kinds of birds, drawn in by the berry plants we cultivate, particularly Heavenly Bamboo, which is quite common here. During my droning sessions, I often spot falcons, large koi fish, and numerous white herons around the park I visit almost daily. Recently, I had a rather unique encounter with a Nutria.

When I first spotted it, I had no idea what it was. I managed to capture a video with my drone in my hand, but with the ND filter attached, the footage was a bit too dark for a clear snapshot. Initially, I thought it was a beaver, but then I noticed its rat-like tail. My assumptions shifted again to thinking it was a large huge rat, a rather scary thought.

After researching online, I discovered that beavers don’t inhabit Japan, leading me to believe I had seen a massive rat. However, upon examining the footage and recognizing its beaver-like body, I knew something was amiss. ChatGPT suggested it could be a Japanese otter, but that didn’t seem accurate either. More digging revealed it was a Nutria—an animal I had never encountered before! The name “Nutria” sounds more like a pharmaceutical brand, doesn’t it?

I find it fascinating to share my unusual encounter with this unique creature. Here’s the zoomed in still image I extracted from my Neo’s recorded footage. I know it isn’t a clear picture, but it was the only camera I had at the moment. What do you think? It definitely resembles a giant rat, right?