A STUDY OF SOME BIOLOGICAL, ANATOMICAL AND RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES OF NUTRIA /MYOCASTOR COYPUS/ FROM THE TERRITORY OF STARA ZAGORA REGION

The nutria ( Myocastor coypus ) belongs to the class of Mammals, Rodents order, family Myocastoridae . It leads a semiaquatic lifestyle and can be seen around rivers, lakes and marshes. Nutria is the big gest rodent in Bulgaria. It lives mainly along the rivers of southeastern Bulgaria. The animal’s body is cylindrical in shape, with relatively large head and short ears. The peak of the face is blunted with clearly visible teeth, colored in bright orange. Nutrias are mostly herbivores. Their role is to spread diseases such as equine encephalomyelitis, leptospirosis, hemorrhagic septicemia ( Pasteurellosis ), paratyphoid and salmonellosis. The aim of the study is to examine the impact of nutria on the environment on the territory of Stara Zagora region, and some of its biological and anatomical features. In some territories of Stara Zagora were found traces of life activity of nutria, as entrances of shelters, footprints of thoracic and pelvic limbs, and feces. Nutrias have not permanent habitats. In the study we found no evidence of damage on the environment. The study showed that the result of the vital activity of nutrias is rather positive, concerning the cleaning of the water areas of vegetation. We found that the thoracic and pelvic limbs have five fingers. The difference between the volume of the nutria brain cavity and these of the jackal and fox is provoked by the differences in the type of their food and lifestyle.