Oh rats! How to keep your home free of rats

Eek, what's this hideous creature? A nutria, a semi-aquatic rodent that devours crops and wetland grasses. Nutrias can swim for long periods of time and the females can even nurse their young while floating. Would you believe that these loathsome creatures are actually prized for their fur? That's right, fur coats made of nutria fur can fetch up to a $1000 or more. Since these things can weigh more than the average domestic cat, our suggestion is just to move if you see one near your home. Washington Post/James A. Parcell