Ch. 3— Wetland Values and the Importance of Wetlands to Man • 55 



wildrice, and pondweed. In salt marshes, they feed 

 heavily on cordgrasses. They occasionally eat in- 

 sects, clams, and crayfish. In coastal areas, musk- 

 rats reach their highest densities in brackish marshes 

 dominated by bulrushes and cordgrasses. 



Another mammal, the nutria, is a related rodent 

 that first was introduced from South America into 

 Louisiana in 1938 for its fur. It is twice the size 

 of the muskrat but is ecologically similar. Nutria 

 prefer freshwater marshes, though they also may 

 be found in low- to high-salinity marshes. 



Mink that inhabit wedands usually rely on cray- 

 fish and frogs in the North-Central States and prey 

 heavily on muskrats during droughts and periods 

 of muskrat overpopulation. However, fish are the 

 most important food for a North Carolina popula- 

 tion of mink, and crayfish are most important for 

 mink in Louisiana. Mink appear to use the different 

 coastal wetlands with equal success. In general, 

 however, densities of these mammals are higher in 

 freshwater rather than saltwater marshes. 



Nutria are harvested for their fur in Louisiana, 

 Maryland, the Carolinas, Texas, Oregon, and 

 Washington. Mink and muskrat are taken in almost 

 all States, though the majority are trapped in the 

 wetland-rich States of the upper Midwest, the 

 Dakotas, and Louisiana (68). In 1979-80, for in- 

 stance, these species represented 32 percent of the 

 total mammal-harvest value of approximately $295 

 million (for unfinished pelts)." This is a significant 



"Information on the economic value of wetland furbearers comes 

 from two souixes; 1) Fur Resources Committee, International Associa- 

 tion of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, fur harvest chart for the United 



Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 



A nutria wading in a nriarsh at Belle Isle, La. These 



furbearers reach their greatest density In freshwater 



marshes, though they may also be found in low-to-high 



salinity marshes 



contribution to the fur industry, which recorded 

 sales of almost $1 billion in 1980. 



While mammals are harvested primarily for their 

 pelts, they also are valuable for meat and various 

 byproducts. During the 1979-80 season in Loui- 

 siana alone, 582,000 lbs of nutria and 18,000 

 lbs of muskrat, both valued at $0.04/lb, were 

 harvested for meat; their combined value was 

 $24,000. 



Alligators. — Alligators are found in the wedands 

 of the Southeast, from North Carolina to Texas, 

 preying on a variety of vertebrates, including mam- 

 mals, -birds, fish, and other reptiles. Alligators need 

 shallow waters and banks for rest and warming in 

 the sun. They use wetland vegetation for cover, 

 protection, and nest construction. Controlled har- 

 vest of wild alligators for their hides and meat is 

 permitted in some areas of Louisiana. In 1979, over 

 16,000 alligators worth about $1.7 million were har- 

 vested in the Louisiana coastal region (40). 



States and Canada (27 species), 1979-80. Figures in text for the United 

 States alone; and 2) Eugene F. Deems, Jr., and Duzme Pursely, "North 

 American Furbearers, A Contemporary Reference," International 

 Association of Fish and Wildlife Agenrip<;, 1Q82 



./-■ ) 



i^^ 





Photo credit: U. S. Fish and Wildlile Service 



Alligators need shallow water and banks for rest and 



warming in the Sun. They use wetland vegetation for 



cover and nest construction 



