Rumors Swirl of Louisiana's Role in California's Nutria Invasion

Could Governor Landry be behind the introduction of the invasive rodents to the Golden State?

Apr. 13, 2026 at 8:34am

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A dynamic, fragmented painting of a large, orange-toothed rodent in overlapping geometric shapes and waves of earthy green, mustard yellow, and deep brown, conceptually representing the invasive nutria species and the political tensions surrounding its resurgence in California.A fractured, avant-garde depiction of the nutria, an invasive rodent species that has resurged in California, raising suspicions of a political ploy from rival state Louisiana.Merced Today

A recent surge of nutria, the large orange-toothed rodents native to Louisiana's swamps, in California has sparked speculation that the state's political rival, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, may have played a role in maliciously introducing the pests to the Golden State. While the evidence is circumstantial, the author explores the plausibility of this 'secret revenge' theory.

Why it matters

The nutria invasion poses a serious threat to California's agriculture and ecosystems. If the rumors of Louisiana's involvement are true, it would represent a troubling escalation of the ongoing political tensions between the two states, with potential legal and diplomatic consequences.

The details

In recent years, California has seen a resurgence of nutria, a large, orange-toothed rodent that was previously eradicated from the state in the 1970s. The California Department of Wildlife has noted that the nutria found in the state appear more closely related to those in Oregon than Louisiana. However, the first pregnant nutria was discovered in 2017 in Merced County, which is near the state capital of Sacramento. This has led some to wonder if the nutria were intentionally introduced, potentially by Louisiana officials as a form of 'secret revenge' against California.

  • In 2017, a pregnant nutria was discovered in Merced County, California.
  • Jeff Landry was Louisiana's Attorney General at the time of the 2017 nutria discovery in California.

The players

Jeff Landry

The current Governor of Louisiana, who previously served as the state's Attorney General in 2017 when the first pregnant nutria was discovered in California.

Gavin Newsom

The current Governor of California, who has been involved in political disputes with Louisiana leadership.

Liz Murril

The current Attorney General of Louisiana, who has engaged in heated exchanges with California Governor Gavin Newsom.

California Department of Wildlife

The state agency that has noted the California nutria appear more closely related to those in Oregon than Louisiana.

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What’s next

The California Department of Wildlife continues to monitor the nutria population and investigate the origins of the resurgence in the state.

The takeaway

This rumor, while speculative, highlights the ongoing political tensions between Louisiana and California and the potential for these disputes to escalate into more serious conflicts with environmental and economic consequences.