# Killer Nutria Hypothesis (Jimmy Carter Rabbit Attack) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 5, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741 "2013-07-05T18:20:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bowlweevils](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@bowlweevils](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bowlweevils)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/1 "2013-07-05T18:20:47Z")
One of this week’s Straight Dope Classics, supplemented by a helpful reader: [What was the deal with Jimmy Carter and the killer rabbit? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/950/what-was-the-deal-with-jimmy-carter-and-the-killer-rabbit) This reader suggested that Carter was not attacked by a killer rabbit, but rather a nutria. Our reader claimed that the nutria is “The world’s largest rodent … is very aggressive. Native to South America and valued for its durable fur” First off, Cecil took care of the false claim that the nutria is the world’s largest rodent. But this reader’s is a potpourri of mistaken nutriaology. Rodents in general, being a prey animal, are only aggressive on the defense, when there is no choice to run away. Or swim away. So our nutria would not be on the attack. It is possible that the nutria was seeking to board the boat, but again, this is not an amphibious assault, rather an attempt to join the President in his little boat as a means of shelter and rest from the stress of swimming. But nutria are accomplished swimmers, so it is questionable whether a nutria would attempt an unauthorized boarding of a ship rather than continuing to swim across the body of water. The hypothetical nutria, however, may not have been able to actually board the vessel due to the shape of a boat. This would have required the nutria to leap out of the water to grab the upper edge of the boat, as the lower parts of the boat curve inward to the water line. Our nutria would generally not attempt to place itself near any creature so large as a human, and would not attempt to get in the boat if it saw such a large creature in the boat. If it did climb aboard the vessel, upon seeing the large human with a stick, the nutria would likely hop back into the water and swim away. This presumes that the nutria was unfamiliar with humans. Nutria are actually quite docile when accustomed to humans and well-fed. As an example, at the zoo in Amsterdam, the nutria can be found in a small pond-type display. This structure has no barriers that would prevent the nutria from leaving it and roaming about the zoo should they want. There is also no means of preventing human visitors from approaching the nutria and touching them. Which I did, and suffered no attack, despite being seriously outnumbered by the gang of nutria. The nutria accepted some light petting (non-sexual sense of the term) without reaction. Thus our nutria chose to remain in their little pond, happy with the availability of water and regular feeding. Finally, no one values the fur of the nutria. Except the nutria. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/2 "2013-07-09T19:26:50Z")
It’s like Wikipedia has an article for _everything_: [Jimmy Carter rabbit incident - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter_rabbit_incident) Given the clearly-visible ears, I’d say that’s no nutria. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/3 "2013-07-09T21:35:03Z")
> [@bowlweevils](#): > > Finally, no one values the fur of the nutria. Except the nutria. [Oh, really?](http://www.nutria.com/site7.php) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/4 "2013-07-09T22:42:19Z")
Back when hunting was considered a sport worthy of network weekend afternoon airtime, I saw a show in which they were driving around a Louisiana swamp in some amphibious truck plinking nutria, then just leaving the corpses where they fell. This was before the gators recovered so there were lots of nutria, and the similarly invasive piranha probably appreciated the free eats. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/5 "2013-07-10T20:00:11Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > It’s like Wikipedia has an article for _everything_: [Jimmy Carter rabbit incident - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter_rabbit_incident) > > Given the clearly-visible ears, I’d say that’s no nutria. The internet is great. Highest res [picture](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Jimmy_Carter_in_boat_chasing_away_swimming_rabbit%2C_Plains%2C_Georgia_-_19790420.jpg/1280px-Jimmy_Carter_in_boat_chasing_away_swimming_rabbit%2C_Plains%2C_Georgia_-_19790420.jpg)on wikipedia. Page with blowup of [picture](http://potus-geeks.livejournal.com/218795.html). That picture does appear to depict a rabbit swimming in the water, and Carter splashing the water with his paddle. Unfortunately, it does not show the rabbit swimming toward Carter and hissing and growling. The cameraman was likely not alerted to the need for a picture until after the path turned, but we cannot confirm the incident as described. But we can confirm a rodent with big ears in the water. I’d cut Carter some slack. I wouldn’t be too happy about a viscious bare-teethed hissing rodent swimming toward me, either. I remember an incident from childhood, my sister’s cat had cornered a baby squirrel in our garage and was playing chase with it. It was injured and scared. My sister attempted to rescue the baby squirrel, and got a finger full of squirrel teeth for her troubles. That was a tiny baby squirrel. Scale up to an enraged adult rabbit, and it wouldn’t be enjoyable, even if unlikely to be life threatening. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/6 "2013-07-10T20:28:33Z")
Earlier threads that may be of interest: > **[Jimmy Carter and the Killer Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=427784)** > > I recently found the following website with very good photos of said Prez and the putative ‘killer rabbit’. There is both a close up of said bozo bunny and the original photograph, reproduced in high res. The rabbit type ears are clearly visible,... > **[Jimmy Carter and the Killer Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=403182)** > > Anyone remember the ‘Killer Rabbit’ incident? IIRC a large rabbit tried to climb aboard Jimmy Carter’s boat while he was fishing, and Carter fended it off with an oar. Why was so much made of this? Because Monty Python And The Holy Grail was still... > **[Jimmy Carter and the killer rabbit: See the picture!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=256543)** > > Cecil’s column about the killer rabbit attacking Jimmy Carter: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_019.html The picture of this incident is now online! http://www.narsil.org/politics/carter/killer\_rabbit.html Bizarre… MODERATOR COMMENT: ... > **[Violent bunny question](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=519847)** > > I live in a very rural area so I have got all kinds of wildlife in my back yard, rabbits, all kinds of birds, squirrls, skunks and occasionally deer. This morning I was at the kitchen window looking out and from the left side of my vision I see a... ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/7 "2013-07-12T04:11:39Z")
I loved the “Paws” political cartoon that appeared after that incident. It’s a nice parody of the old Jaws movie poster. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/8 "2013-07-12T22:38:32Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > But we can confirm a rodent with big ears in the water. Stoopid nitpick: rabbits are not rodents, they are lagomorphs. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/9 "2013-07-12T23:10:45Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > The internet is great. > Highest res [picture](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Jimmy_Carter_in_boat_chasing_away_swimming_rabbit%2C_Plains%2C_Georgia_-_19790420.jpg/1280px-Jimmy_Carter_in_boat_chasing_away_swimming_rabbit%2C_Plains%2C_Georgia_-_19790420.jpg)on wikipedia. > > Page with blowup of [picture](http://potus-geeks.livejournal.com/218795.html). > > That picture does appear to depict a rabbit swimming in the water, and Carter splashing the water with his paddle. Unfortunately, it does not show the rabbit swimming toward Carter and hissing and growling. The cameraman was likely not alerted to the need for a picture until after the path turned, but we cannot confirm the incident as described. But we can confirm a rodent with big ears in the water. > > I’d cut Carter some slack. I wouldn’t be too happy about a viscious bare-teethed hissing rodent swimming toward me, either. Carter’s own version of the story, quoted in the Wikipedia article, says nothing about hissing, growling, viciousness, or bared teeth. As all subsequent versions seem to derive from Carter’s own, I think these descriptors can be entirely attributed to embroidery added by later journalists, satirists, and political opponents trying to insinuate the idea into people’s heads that Carter was terrified of a rabbit. There is, in fact, no evidence that he was in the least upset or worried, or that he reacted to this trivial incident other than entirely sensibly and appropriately. There is really no need for any slack to be cut. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/10 "2013-07-15T21:01:31Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Carter’s own version of the story, quoted in the Wikipedia article, says nothing about hissing, growling, viciousness, or bared teeth. Reading the link, you are correct. > [@](#): > > As all subsequent versions seem to derive from Carter’s own, I think these descriptors can be entirely attributed to embroidery added by later journalists, satirists, and political opponents trying to insinuate the idea into people’s heads that Carter was terrified of a rabbit. If you look at said wikipedia entry, you will see Press Secretary Jody Powell’s description from her book, _The Other Side of the Story_: > [@](#): > > “Upon closer inspection, the animal turned out to be a rabbit. Not one of your cutesy, [Easter Bunny](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Bunny)-type rabbits, but one of those big splay-footed things that we called [swamp rabbits](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_Rabbit) when I was growing up." > “The animal was clearly in distress, or perhaps berserk. The President confessed to having had limited experience with enraged rabbits. He was unable to reach a definite conclusion about its state of mind. What was obvious, however, was that this large, wet animal, making strange hissing noises and gnashing its teeth, was intent upon climbing into the Presidential boat.” So while Carter’s description as cited does not include any descriptors of the animal’s behavior, Jody Powell’s description of her interactions with Carter indicate there was more there. Or she made it up. However, one does wonder why someone would be unnerved by a rabbit calmly swimming toward the boat, whereas if said rabbit were hissing and gnashing its teeth, that would be a reason for having some concern. > [@](#): > > There is, in fact, no evidence that he was in the least upset or worried, Except for the part where he splashed water at it to make it go somewhere else. > [@](#): > > or that he reacted to this trivial incident other than entirely sensibly and appropriately. On this part we agree. Thus my comment about cutting him some slack. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/11 "2013-07-15T21:04:14Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Stoopid nitpick: rabbits are not rodents, they are lagomorphs. Perhaps I should have said “varmit” or “critter” or “furry beasty”. I was trying to point out the big ears re the nutria theory, not make a case for the rabbit’s biological classification. ---
**Author:** ![rodrigose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@rodrigose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rodrigose)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/12 "2013-07-15T21:43:24Z")
help how do i post , first time on and cannot get hang of it. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/13 "2013-07-15T22:59:25Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Highest res [picture](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Jimmy_Carter_in_boat_chasing_away_swimming_rabbit%2C_Plains%2C_Georgia_-_19790420.jpg/1280px-Jimmy_Carter_in_boat_chasing_away_swimming_rabbit%2C_Plains%2C_Georgia_-_19790420.jpg)on wikipedia. Obviously a fake. The shadow under the rabbit’s nose doesn’t match the other shadows in the picture. What we have here is a rabbit’s head put on a nutria body by a retoucher - impressive, in the pre-Photoshop days. And the picture was clearly shot from a grassy knoll. 'Nuf sed. ---
**Author:** ![eastcheap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@eastcheap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eastcheap)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/14 "2013-07-16T01:06:03Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > What we have here is a rabbit’s head put on a nutria body by a retoucher Ya think? I’m pretty sure it’s actually a plesiosaur. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/15 "2013-07-16T03:38:35Z")
Reminds me of this cinematic masterpiece. > **[Night of the Lepus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Lepus)** > > Night of the Lepus (also known as Rabbits) is a 1972 American science fiction horror film directed by William F. Claxton and produced by A. C. Lyles. Based upon Russell Braddon's 1964 science fiction novel The Year of the Angry Rabbit, the plot concerns an infestation of mutated rabbits. > The film was the first science fiction work for producer Lyles and for director Claxton, both of whom came from Western film backgrounds. Character actors from Westerns the pair had worked on were brought in to ... ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/16 "2013-07-18T00:44:49Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Reading the link, you are correct. > > If you look at said wikipedia entry, you will see Press Secretary Jody Powell’s description from her book, _The Other Side of the Story_: > > So while Carter’s description as cited does not include any descriptors of the animal’s behavior, Jody Powell’s description of her interactions with Carter indicate there was more there. Or she made it up. Just fyi – the name notwithstanding (it was a nickname for Joseph) Jody Powell was a he. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/17 "2013-07-18T07:51:21Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Scale up to an enraged adult rabbit, and it wouldn’t be enjoyable, even if unlikely to be life threatening. A man in Belarus got killed by a beaver a couple of weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/18 "2013-07-18T09:18:15Z")
Rabbit + Rabies = Killer Rabbit. It seems so obvious to me. ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/19 "2013-07-18T19:05:41Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > A man in Belarus got killed by a beaver a couple of weeks ago. A moose once bit my sister. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741/20 "2013-07-18T19:10:00Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > A moose once bit my sister. Moose bite hard. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-nutria-hypothesis-jimmy-carter-rabbit-attack/662741.md?page=2)