Britain contains a relatively high number of naturalised animals. Of these, the Coypu, Myocastor coypus, which became establised in East Anglia after escaping from fur farms, provides one of the classic examples of the detrimental introduced animals can have on a natural ecosystem. For almost 60 years it was part of Britain’s natural history, but from 1981 it was the subject of an eradication campaign.
![](https://www.britishwildlife.com/wp-content/uploads/1989/10/6.5-coypu.jpg)