Invasion Patterns of the Coypu, Myocastor coypus, in Western Central Greece: New Records Reveal Expanding Range, Emerging Hotspots, and Habitat Preferences

Yiannis G. Zevgolis (), Alexandros D. Kouris, Stylianos P. Zannetos, Ioannis Selimas, Themistoklis D. Kontos, Apostolos Christopoulos, Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos and Triantaphyllos Akriotis
Additional contact information
Yiannis G. Zevgolis: Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81132 Mytilene, Greece
Alexandros D. Kouris: Department of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Patras, 30131 Agrinio, Greece
Stylianos P. Zannetos: Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81132 Mytilene, Greece
Ioannis Selimas: Management Unit of Messolonghi National Park and Protected Areas of Western Central Greece, Natural Environment & Climate Change Agency, 30400 Aitoliko, Greece
Themistoklis D. Kontos: Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81132 Mytilene, Greece
Apostolos Christopoulos: Department of Zoology and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece
Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos: Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81132 Mytilene, Greece
Triantaphyllos Akriotis: Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81132 Mytilene, Greece

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-24

Abstract: The coypu ( Myocastor coypus ), a semi-aquatic rodent native to South America, has established invasive populations across North America, Asia, and Europe. In Greece, since its initial recording in 1965, the species has been rapidly expanding, forming sizable populations in northern continental regions. However, the extent of its invasion and the environmental drivers shaping its distribution and spatial patterns in western–central Greece remain poorly understood. Here, we address this knowledge gap, aiming to identify and map new coypu records, investigate the relationship between coypu presence and habitat characteristics, and analyze its spatial distribution. Between 2020 and 2023, we conducted 50 field surveys across the study area, documenting direct and indirect evidence of coypu presence. We integrated kernel density estimation, Getis-Ord Gi*, and Anselin local Moran’s I to identify spatial distribution patterns and hotspots of the coypu. Additionally, we analyzed environmental factors including land cover type, total productivity, and geomorphological features to determine their influence on habitat selection. Our findings reveal significant spatial clustering of coypus, with 12 identified hotspots primarily located in protected areas, and highlight tree cover density and productivity variability as key predictors of coypu presence. The suitability of western–central Greece for the coypu appears to be driven by extensive wetlands and interconnected hydrological systems, with hotspots concentrated in lowland agricultural landscapes, providing essential data to guide targeted management strategies for mitigating the ecological risks posed by this invasive species.

Keywords: conservation strategies; Greece; invasive alien species; KDE; nutria; spatial distribution; spatial clustering; spatial statistics; hotspot analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/365/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/365/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:2:p:365-:d:1587777

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().