If you want to try something new for dinner, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends that more people eat nutria, wild pigs and other invasive species. You can hunt or fish for several on the list in Mississippi.
It’s not just about adventurous eating. It’s part of an effort to protect native animals and ecosystems. FWS even suggests preferred ways to cook the invaders.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Forestry and Parks wants residents help stop the invasion. They encourage people to know about invasive species and be careful to avoid bringing them to the Magnolia State. (If you’re gardening, pick native plants.)
There’s a cost to non-native insects and animals running wild. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, invasive species including animals, plants and insects could have cost the U.S. $1.288 trillion over 50 years. The bills from bugs nibbling on crops and native fish being over hunted by the incomers add up.
Do you know which animals, plants and bugs are invasive to Mississippi? Here’s a list of some options you can eat and other invaders to watch out for so you can help save the state — literally and financially.
What invasive species do U.S. Fish and Wildlife want you to eat?
Nutria are large rodents from South America that eat and burrow into wetlands along the Gulf Coast, Atlantic Coast and in the Pacific Northwest. They were brought to the U.S. for fur trade originally.
“Their meat is lean, mild, and tastes like rabbit,” the wildlife service posted, suggesting nutria gumbo.
Nutria eating the roots of marsh plants.
Northern snakeheads (channa argus) are native to East Asia. They’ve been confirmed in Mississippi since 2008 and live in waterways in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast. They can breathe air and live outside water for days, allowing these sharp-toothed nightmares to worm over to other bodies of water. Oh, and their teeth are sharp.
“Luckily, they’re delicious with a firm, white, and flaky meat,” FWS wrote. They suggest trying them grilled or fried and in fish tacos.
Northern snakehead fish, also known as Chesapeake Channa, swim in a tank at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Several species of carp — including bighead, silver, black and grass — are invasive to the U.S. These fish are native to East Asia. FWS notes they’re “wreaking havoc on our fisheries” by outcompeting native wildlife.
Can’t decide between hunting and fishing? Carp could offer you the best of both. Some Mississippi sportsmen have started shooting these high jumpers with shotguns.
FWS suggests trying the “surprisingly tasty” pests as fish cakes, grilled or blackened.
Feral hogs/pigs or wild boar (sus scrofa) are wreaking havoc on property, crops, forests and wetlands in several states, including Mississippi.
Willie McNabb, an Arkansas man, is still a viral meme five years after asking what to do when “30-50 feral hogs” run into the yard while his young children play outside. The internet laughed at his defense of assault weapons at the time, but the concerns were real. These swine are notoriously hard to kill and contain.
“Leaner and richer in flavor than store-bought pork, wild boar works in everything from smoked barbecue to hearty chili. Grind it for burgers, braise it for tacos, or go full gourmet with wild boar ragu over pasta,” FWS wrote.
This map from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows the feral swine population in the U.S. as of 2024.
Green iguanas are the only options on the FWS list that might not be in Mississippi yet. (And that’s a good thing.) The cold-blooded hunters are originally from Central and South America. They are known for eating native plants in Florida. They’re also in Texas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, per the Texas Invasive Species Institute.
FWS suggests “chicken of the trees” in a stew, touting a mild flavor profile.
Do you know these animals are invasive?What are the most invasive animals in Mississippi?
See the Top 5 most invasive animals in Mississippi, according to the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.
See the Top 10 most invasive plants in Mississippi
Rugged terrain draped with kudzu creates an other-worldly view along Rodney Road between Windsor Ruins and Alcorn State University near Lorman, Mississippi.
See the Top 10 most invasive plants in Mississippi, according to the Mississippi Forestry Commission:
Chinese tallow tree (Popcorn trees).
Privet (Japanese/Glossy and Chinese/European).
Japanese honeysuckle. (Coral honeysuckle is native.)
Chinese/Japanese wisteria.
More: Creepy fish. Wild hogs. Obnoxious birds. What has their invasion done to Mississippi?
What are the most invasive bugs in Mississippi?
See the Top 5 most invasive insects and worms in Mississippi, according to the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: US wants you to eat wild hogs, giant rats to help stop MS invasion