There have been nutria in Oregon for several generations. The story is that some people invested in them, gambling there was a market for their fur, and released the critters when it didn't pan out. I don't know the actual story.

I do have one story I like. Before I quit smoking cigarettes I rarely, if ever, met wild animals. At that time I did a great deal of hiking in mountains and forests but every time I paused to rest, I lit up. You can imagine that every animal within a mile of me knew there was a human being in the vicinity.

Then I quit smoking- and among other wildlife encounters I was barked at by a deer (I didn't know they barked!), came upon the flicking tail on the hind end of an oblivious deer browsing in a bush next to the trail, found myself in the midst of small twittering birds at a water puddle, and was growled at by a nutria.