The nutria is often confused with the native North American beaver and the muskrat. You can distinguish them by these key features:

: Nutria are "intermediate" in size—larger than a muskrat but smaller than a beaver. An adult nutria typically weighs between 15 and 20 pounds.

: Nutria have prominent, long white whiskers and a white patch on their muzzle. Both beavers and muskrats typically have black whiskers.

: When swimming, a nutria's tail remains relatively still or drags behind. A muskrat’s tail undulates from side to side to help with propulsion. Habitat and Behavior