Like a Capybara with a long thin tail.... what was it?

[Happy82]

I'll upload the photos tomorrow, however while staying in Normandy last week, we spotted an animal resting on the sand until disturbed by locals, at which point it swam away. The best way I can describe it is as a Capybara but with a long tail and shorter legs, I originally thought it might be a sea otter but it seemed too thick set for that and was more beaver-like in stature (no jokes about lady gardens please ).

|Again I'll upload the photos tomorrow, but any ideas as to what it was?

[Happy82]

Scrub that question, it was a European beaver by the looks of it! Still, unusual to be spotted where it was

• edit*

Or even a Ragondin (not sure of the English translation), considered a pest in France and not quite as rare as I thought

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxF6MMxD5t4&fea...

Edited by Happy82 on Tuesday 23 August 00:10

[Roberty]

No it's not a European Beaver it's a Coypu.

A South American rodent similar to the Beaver but smaller and minus the large Paddle tail.

They were released or escaped from fur farms in the UK and mainland Europe in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

They have since been wiped out in the UK as they were considered a pest, the UK was declared Coypu free in 1989.

In France and most of the rest of Europe they're still doing quite well.

[richtea78]

I heard that there may be some coypu on Ashdown Forrest as several people claim to have spotted them recently.