The Rat With Orange Teeth Destroying Louisiana: Nutria

Deep in the marshes of Louisiana, a rodent with bright orange teeth is quietly destroying one of America's most important coastlines. Meet the nutria — the invasive species eating away the roots that hold the Gulf Coast together. Brought to Louisiana in the 1930s for the fur trade, the nutria escaped captivity and multiplied out of control. Today, it's responsible for "eat-outs" — patches of marsh so thoroughly devoured they collapse into open water and never grow back. Scientists now consider it one of the greatest threats to the wetlands that protect millions of Americans from hurricanes. This is the story of how a failed fur farming experiment became one of the most destructive invasions in North American history — and why it may not stop at Louisiana.