Know your Louisiana wildlife

A couple of Nutria search for food near the 307th Bomb Wing Headquarters building on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Feb. 16, 2011. A family of Nutria makes their home in the bank of a waterway that flows in front of the headquarters building here. Nutria resembles a very large rat, or a beaver with a small tail. Originally native to moderate temperature locations in South America, it was introduced to North America for the most part, by fur ranchers. Nutria live in burrows alongside stretches of water and feed on river plants. The downside to the elusive creatures is that in certain locations they can cause erosion due to their burrowing, and they waste up to 90 percent of the vegetation they consume while eating only the stems. Numerous species of animals, birds and reptiles make their homes in the area. Barksdale Airmen take pride in maintaining a base that is animal friendly. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston)