Raccoons on Lake Seddiner: Jäger demand premium for kills!

Raccoons on Lake Seddiner: Jäger demand premium for kills!

in Brandenburg there is currently a controversial debate about the fight against raccoons that are classified as an invasive way from North America. At the Seddiner See, hunters are calling for a launch premium for killed animals. According to Jörg Dombrowski, a hunter from the region, the raccoons caused a significant decline in ducks and other water birds because they are looting the nests of floor freights such as vineyards, pheasants and ducks. Dombrowski describes the situation as a "raccoon plague" that threatens the local fauna. Raccoons have spread greatly since their first suspension in Germany in 1934 at the Edersee and have no natural enemies in the region.

The hunt for these animals is legally allowed. Dombrowski himself killed 48 raccoons last year, and his hunting cooperative is also committed to ensuring that the municipality of Michendorf introduces a bonus similar to the municipality of Seddiner See, where 25 euros per raccoon killed. René Bayer, the head of the Michendorf administrative office, indicated that this requirement would be dealt with.

challenges of raccoon population

In Brandenburg, several ten thousand raccoons are killed annually, and around 200,000 throughout Germany. According to experts, the raccoon population is still understood despite intensive hunting. This raises the question to what extent hunting actually has an impact on the existing numbers of animals. When hunting raccoons, the meat made is officially examined, which causes additional costs.

The discussion about invasive species is a widely branched topic. According to the Rio Biodiversity Convention in 1992, invasive types such as the raccoon are an ecological threat, but studies show that these animal species in Germany hardly have any significant health or economic dangers. The interest in the hunting comes mainly from the hunters, which argues to make a contribution to nature conservation through the hunt. Contrary to this opinion, however, many experts show that hunting has no demonstrable effect on inventory reduction or distribution prevention.

research to spread the raccoon

researchers at the Goethe University Frankfurt examine the spread of raccoons in Germany as part of the Zowiac project. Your analyzes are based on hunting data from two decades and 398 German counties. The results show that high raccoon populations are stabilized in Northern Hesse and Nordostbrandenburg, while in southwestern Germany the spread is still in the beginning. Historical events, such as the release of raccoon breeding pairs in the 1930s, explain the current spread of this species.

The work of the researchers aims to better understand the phase -dependent development of raccoon populations and thus improve the control and containment of their spread. The methodology could also be applied to other invasive species in Germany. Overall, the discussion about raccoons and their fighting remains a complex and complex topic that linked both nature conservation interests and regional hunting practices.

For more information about the raccoon problem in Germany, read more at rbb24 Wildlife protection Germany and Goethe-university Frankfurt .