Here you see three babies and one adult Coypu nested behind the funny old paddle boat, in front of the paddle wheel. If you click on these pictures you get the full size to look at. Spud is very keen to attack them but can't get to them unless he swims out.
Coypu
Myocastor Coypus
Just some similar pictures
The French for Coypu is "Ragondin" and it is described in my small book on "Mammals of Britain and Europe" by Van Den Brink as a large, plump, amphibious rodent with cylinrical tail. It has a body length of 42-60 cms; tail length of 30-45cm; Hind foot 12-14cms; weight 6-9 kg (so it's about the same size as Puck or Teddy)(and they don't eat dogs, Alan!) They also have webbed feet. They live in the holes that they create in high sided river banks, along fast flowing rivers and streams. They can also live beside salt water.
They originally came from South America. They are generally tolerated and do little harm. They make a grunting sound and sometimes a sort of bleating. They are similar to the beaver but smaller and have a round tale as opposed to the beaver's flat tail. I imagine that they are common both in Malvern and on the Tees.