Myocastor coypus, Coypu

Jo, Yeong-Seok, Kim, Tae-Wook, Choi, Byeong-Jin & Oh, Hong-Shik, 2012, Current status of terrestrial mammals on Jeju Island, Journal of Species Research 1 (2), pp. 249-256 : 254

Myocastor coypus, Coypu or Nutria

Even though nutria has been known as invasive alien species especially around southern Korean peninsula, Jeju had remained nutria free. The feral nutria occurrence on Jeju is a major concern. Four individuals occurred on Southern wetland in 2011. Because there are several Nutria farms on Jeju, it will be necessary to ensure accidental or intentional releases do not occur .

According to national list of Korean mammals (NIBR, 2012), 71 species of terrestrial mammals are listed as present on the Korean peninsula, and 28 species occur on Jeju Island ( Table 3). With 5 species of invasive mammals ( Sus scrofa , Cervus nippon , Sciurus vulgaris , Tamias sibiricus and Myocastor coypus ), Jeju has 1 endemic species ( Apodemus chejuensis ) and 3 subspecies ( Sorex caecutiens hallamontanus , Mustela sibirica quelpartis and Micromys minutes hertigi ). Also, the subspecific level of white-toothed shrew ( Crocidura sp ) on Jeju is not clear. Compared to the Korean peninsula, which has 1 endemic mammal (NIBR, 2011), the number of endemic mammals on Jeju is quite large. Conservation of this island’s endemism is an important priority ( Van Dyke, 2008).