Protective laws were enacted, but this legislation was only partly 

 effective. The annual take of nutria pelts in Argentina decreased to 

 the extent that the demand was one hundred times that of the supply. 

 When wild nutria pelt exports declined to an annual average of 175,600 

 for the 5-year period 192U-28, breeding nutrias in captivity began. 



NUTRIAS IN CAPTIVITY 



Raising nutrias in captivity in South America started in 1922 when 

 prices paid for nutria pelts took a sharply upward trend. A. nutria pelt 

 brought |6.00 in 1923 and soared to &L2.00 in 192U. By 1929 the price 

 quoted on the Canadian raw fur market for extra-large skins was $13.50 

 each. 



Nutria farms became numerous throughout Argentina, and animals 

 captured in the wild for breeding stock brought high prices, A hundred 

 dollars a pair was not an unusual price. Early operations were small, 

 followed by a "boom" with promises of large fortunes as usual. 



As early as 1882, a few nutrias were raised in France, and later 

 (1890-92) the production of these animals became a private enterprise 

 of amateurs • Nutria raising in France practically disappeared after the 

 beginning of World War I, and it was not until 1925 and especially after 

 1927-28 that these fur animals were again raised extensively in captiv- 

 ity. Great hopes for financial success were unhappily ended as a result 

 of the world economic crisis during the 1930' s. Released or escaped 

 nutrias occurred in several regions of France, and in 1939 they bene- 

 fited in the wild state by protection applying to other game (Bourdelle, 

 1939). 



Germany and Switzerland entered the industry, importing nutrias 

 from Argentina. Later the United States and Canada, followed by Russia, 

 Sweden, Norway, and other European countries, took up nutria raising. 

 AH had a measure of success in raising breeding stock and selling the 

 animals to others who desired to engage in the same enterprise* By 1928 

 Germany had a nutria population of about 3,000 on some 200 farms. The 

 ■boom" in Europe stimulated breeders in the United States and Canada, 

 but it did not last long and not many nutria farms were established, 

 despite the big play in United States fur- farming periodicals and the 

 press. The first nutrias known to be born in North America were those 

 on the La Forrest Fur Farm, Quebec, Canada, in 1931. 



In South America, the first nutria farms were large enclosures 

 which included as much natural habitat as possible. Later on, larger 

 and more pretentious areas were fenced and partitioned into smaller areas 

 for breeding and whelping, retaining pens, and feeding ranges where corn, 

 clover, and alfalfa were planted. When the crops were ready, the nutrias 

 were turned in to do their own harvesting. The next development was to 

 house the nutrias in small pens where they were under control similar 

 to silver foxes. 



