We trust you’ve already seen The Princess Bride, one of the greatest films of all time, at least 100 times by now. For the tragically uninitiated, here’s a little review. Fair maiden Buttercup and devoted farmboy Westley, whom Buttercup temporarily believed to be the fabled Dread Pirate Roberts, are in the midst of a rescue mission. Westley is rescuing Buttercup from her ruthless fiancé, the evil Prince Humperdinck. As she initially thinks she’s gone from one hostage situation to another, Buttercup is less than pleased.
After Westley’s true identity is revealed, he suggests they take the route through the Fire Swamp. However, Buttercup worries about the rumored “Rodents of Unusual Size” (R.O.U.S.) said to reside there. In an effort to calm Buttercup down, Westley tells her he doesn’t believe they truly exist. It’s then that the rather large rodents show themselves, forcing Westley to fight them off to keep Buttercup safe from danger. This is one of many hilarious gags from a legendary film that have stood the test of time. But this gag is real. Sort of.
From Fantasy to Reality
The relatively unknown nutria rat is the subject of a shocking documentary that has spent some time on the circuit and is now due for a theatrical release. In Rodents of Unusual Size, releasing on August 24, directors Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, and Jeff Springer follow Louisiana fisherman Thomas Gonzales on his lifelong mission to win the war against the invasive swamp rats. The real-life R.O.U.S. are eating up the coastal wetlands that protect Thomas and his town from hurricanes. Thomas and his ragtag crew of lively bounty hunters are dedicated to saving Louisiana before it dissolves beneath their feet.
But What Are Nutria?
Coypu, more commonly known as “nutria” or “nutria rats” in North America, are large, herbivorous, semi-aquatic rodents. The South American creature looks like a scary cross between an extremely large rat and a beaver. Adults are typically between 9-20 pounds in weight and 16-24 inches in length, with tails about a foot long. They have coarse, dark brown fur with softer grey fur underneath, a white patch on their muzzle, and webbed hind feet.
Most shocking are their large, bright, Cheeto-orange front teeth. Nutria have a lifespan of three to six years, but they accomplish a lot in that short time span. Males reach sexual maturity in as little as four months, and females at three months. A pregnancy lasts about four months and may result in up to 13 terrifying baby nutria. If that weren’t daunting enough, nutria also consume large amounts of vegetation and wreak havoc wherever they dwell.
How’d They Get to Louisiana?
Nutria were introduced to the Louisiana ecosystem in the 1930s after they escaped from fur farms that had imported them from South America. On a few occasions, they were released into the wild by Louisiana nutria farmers between 1930 and 1945. In 1940, some of the nutria escaped during a hurricane and quickly populated coastal marshes, inland swamps, and other wetland areas. From Louisiana, they have spread across the southern United States, doing quite a bit of damage.
In Rodents of Unusual Size, you’ll get to see these voracious eaters be hunted and cradled like puppies. You’ll even learn about the “Nutria Holler.” If you like disturbing nature reality, (and who doesn’t?) this one’s for you.
