Joining Forces for Nutriowisko. An Agreement for the Good of Animals and the City
Rybnik is choosing responsible and thoughtful action. The City Hall and the Mushika Foundation have signed a three‑year agreement with the Łapa i Las Foundation, which runs the Nutriowisko centre. Joint efforts to support nutria captured in urban areas fill a gap in the system of care for invasive species. Thanks to this cooperation, managing urban space will be carried out with respect for animal life.
What Does the Agreement Include?
Nutriowisko is an isolated centre run by the Łapa i Las Foundation. Nutria captured in Rybnik can safely live out their lives there in conditions that meet their biological needs. The centre’s main goal is to create a legal and safe place for these animals, provide them with ongoing care, and engage residents in reliable education about human responsibility for invasive species.
Instead of quick and often brutal solutions, we choose an approach based on respect for life. The nutria population is reduced gradually—exclusively through live trapping and relocation to the centre, where their welfare is always the priority. This is not an attempt to avoid the problem, but a thoughtful, humane and effective way to maintain order in the city—aligned with science, law and common sense.
All activities are carried out in accordance with regulations: EU Regulation 1143/2014, the Polish Act on Alien Species of 11 August 2021, and the guidelines of GDOŚ and RDOŚ. Every stage—from capture, through transport, to daily care—takes place under the required permits and decisions. These formalities are not an obstacle but a guarantee of transparency, safety and responsibility throughout the process.
How We Work Together for Nutria
Cooperation is the foundation of any major undertaking. Nutriowisko operates and grows thanks to the Mushika Foundation, the Łapa i Las Foundation, and the parallel involvement of the local government.
The Mushika Foundation works for all animals, regardless of their status, image or relationship with humans. It focuses especially on those most forgotten and excluded. It strives to build a relationship between humans and nature based on empathy, knowledge and responsibility. The motto “Respect knows no species” is not just a slogan—it is a real commitment.
As part of the project, the Mushika Foundation allocated 150,000 PLN for the expansion of Nutriowisko. These funds will cover, among other things: building materials, enclosure elements, castration and marking of 20 nutria, construction of a storage building with a veterinary corner, and the purchase of a small vehicle for daily operations. These are concrete investments that turn ideas into durable infrastructure tailored to the needs of nutria.
Thanks to them, Nutriowisko becomes not only a response to today’s challenges but also a model that can be replicated in the future—sensibly, with empathy, and in full compliance with the law.
Łapa i Las Foundation
The Łapa i Las Foundation was created to meet the needs of Nutriowisko, the first legal nutria centre in Poland. Its motto “Together? Naturally!” highlights collective action for nature and animal welfare, as well as building a responsible community. The Foundation believes that people live best in harmony with nature and with one another. It aims to create flexible and economical solutions that combine public and private funding with support from authorities, society and business to better protect nature and strengthen social integration.
Under the agreement with the Mushika Foundation and the City of Rybnik, the Łapa i Las Foundation contributes not only land, knowledge and experience, but also commits to building all new infrastructure: enclosures and habitats for additional animals. It is also responsible for the long‑term maintenance of Nutriowisko—daily animal care, feeding, veterinary support, technical service and educational activities.
The Role of the City of Rybnik
The city supports the project substantively and organisationally—for example, by helping organise volunteer work during the construction of the centre. Thanks to this, Nutriowisko is not just an NGO initiative but part of municipal policy. Residents can see that the city does not avoid difficult topics but supports responsible and ethical actions for animals.
Why Is This Important?
The Mushika Foundation, the Łapa i Las Foundation and the City of Rybnik are combining their strengths: the experience of social organisations, the commitment of people working in the field, and the responsibility of local government for order and safety in the city. Their shared foundation is respect for law, knowledge and every living being. This conscious approach makes it possible to address the issue of invasive species in a systemic, humane and transparent way.
This agreement sets a new standard for dealing with invasive species. It combines care for the environment and urban order with actions rooted in law, scientific knowledge and empathy for animals. The project supports education, introduces clear procedures and develops infrastructure that enables effective and humane action. It is a response to today’s challenges and a model that can serve others in the future.
What’s Next?
We are beginning the expansion of Nutriowisko and upgrading the enclosures. At the same time, we are launching a series of joint educational articles and posts.
For the Łapa i Las Foundation, the project is a long‑term commitment to living beings who, thanks to Nutriowisko, gain a chance to live in legal, safe and species‑appropriate conditions. After expansion and the arrival of new animals, the centre’s maintenance costs may reach several thousand PLN per month, depending on the number of residents. This is a significant financial, organisational and logistical challenge, which the Foundation undertakes consciously. We believe that joint efforts by people, organisations and institutions can truly change the approach to nature conservation and animal care.
Join Us in Creating This Place!
Every pair of hands counts—whether for daily chores, small construction tasks or logistics. No experience is needed; willingness and compassion for animals are enough. We provide short training, tools and coordinator support.
If you’d like to join, write or call: nutriowisko@gmail.com, tel. 889 488 466.
See you at Nutriowisko!
