One of the most recent threats to California's environment has webbed feet, white whiskers, shaggy fur and orange buck teeth that could be mistaken for carrots. "Boy, they're an ugly-looking thing," said David Passadori, an almond and walnut grower in central California. "And the way they multiply - jeez." The swamp rodents, called nutria, are setting off alarms in California. They weigh about 20 pounds each and eat the equivalent of about a fourth of their weight each day by burrowing into riverbanks and chomping into plants that emerge from the water.
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