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Shooting the Sika deer: Dispute over nature conservation and hunting in Brandenburg!
On July 10, 2025, the planned shooting of Sika deer in Ostprignitz-Ruppin will be discussed due to environmental concerns.
Shooting the Sika deer: Dispute over nature conservation and hunting in Brandenburg!
In Brandenburg, a planned shooting of up to 60 Sika deer is heating up emotions. Loud maz-online.de Hunting associations and members of the state parliament have already campaigned vehemently to preserve the Sika deer population. At a meeting in Potsdam, concerns were expressed that the elimination of these animals could have far-reaching negative consequences for the local ecosystem. The main reason for the planned shooting is the fear that the wild sikas, which escaped from a private game enclosure around ten years ago, could damage both agriculture and the local flora.
The discussion about the Sika deer is particularly explosive given its classification as a potentially invasive species. The at rbb24.de Published information indicates that around 40 Sikas currently live in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district. These animals originally come from East Asia and have increased significantly in recent years. Sika tourism has even developed around the town of Zernitz-Lohm, which could boost the local economy. Nevertheless, the Brandenburg Ministry of Agriculture and Food is urging all wild sika deer to be shot in order to prevent further spread.
Hunting and its consequences
The plan calls for all sika deer in the region to be shot by May 2026. A postponement only seems possible through opposing voices against the shooting regulation. Particularly controversial is the position of conservationists who support controlled hunting but advise against a total strike. The German Nature Conservation Association made it clear in a statement that the sikas should not simply be left alone, as this could have negative effects on biodiversity.
Particular attention is also paid to the legal framework. So far, sika deer can be hunted between September 1st and January 15th lfu.brandenburg.de reported. A complete repeal of this regulation could result in the animals being hunted without grace periods. The region would not be alone with a nationwide classification process as an invasive species; In such a case, this species would have to be hunted throughout Germany.