AN elusive giant rodent poses no threat to Islanders’ vegetable patches or the takings of hedge veg honesty boxes, according to an environmentalist.
JEP nature columnist Bob Tompkins also said, at the time of publication, that there had been no further sightings of the now famous coypu, which has apparently ‘gone to ground’.
He added that plans for camera traps to find the ‘beast from the east’ were discussed at a recent meeting involving environmentalists and the government.
It is hoped that 30 camera traps, priced £150 each, would be enough to spot the giant rodent, which is nocturnal. Government officials said the coypu would probably be killed if caught due to its threat to the Island’s rich wetland habitats.
Mr Tompkins said: ‘If we are going to get a camera, we need to make sure its going to do the job. £150 per camera, that’s what was discussed at the meeting.’
A semi-aquatic invasive species, the coypu is believed to have arrived in Jersey after being washed onto Island shores from France during stormy weather last month.
Mr Tompkins said: ‘Its appearance was timed with a strong gale. It would have been caught in offshore tidal streams and ended up here.’
Although coypus are known to eat root vegetables, Mr Tompkins confirmed that the rodent posed no threat to Islanders’ honesty boxes or crops.
He added: ‘They eat vegetables, but when you are talking about roots, they eat aquatic plants. They dig at [river] banks; they can be quite destructive. They dig holes in lots of [river] banks. At present we don’t think there’s urgency. It depends on whether it is male or female; if it is female it could be carrying pups, which could be a problem.
‘There have been no further confirmed sightings. It’s very much gone to ground.’
Originally from South America, the coypu was imported to Europe for fur farming. Currently it is an offence in the EU to release coypu into the wild.
