Gold jackal on Sylt: 76 sheep torn - shooting approved!

Gold jackal on Sylt: 76 sheep torn - shooting approved!

Sylt, Deutschland - on Sylt, a gold jackal ensures alarm mood under sheep holders. The shy robber has torn 76 lambs in a short period of time, which now leads to a planned exemption for his launch. The State Office for the Environment has initiated the necessary steps that Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt (Greens) supported. Despite the strict protection status of the gold jackal, which is guaranteed by EU and German federal law, the necessity of these measures is checked.

The problem with the gold jackal is not new. It is a species that is originally native to South Asia and Southeast Europe and has been spreading to Central Europe for several years. A gold jackal in Germany was sighted for the first time, while there have also been evidence in Schleswig-Holstein since 2017. The district of North Friesland is currently waiting for the official signal to implement the shooting permit. By the end of May 2025, a total of eight gold jackals in Schleswig-Holstein were detected, two of which could be associated with tears of farm animals, so report . .

The nature conservation associations have been informed about the situation and have the opportunity to react in writing to the planned exemption. In an upcoming meeting of the environmental committee in the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament on June 4, the handling of the gold jackals will also be discussed.

protection status and distribution

The gold jackals are particularly protected according to the Federal Agency Act and the Flora-Fauna Habitat Directive. They live in pairs or small packs and have an area of ​​about 2 to 6 square kilometers. Your diet is diverse: you hunt rodents, reptiles, birds, and also have a preference for AAS and fruits. This adaptability contributes to the rapid spread of the species, which is particularly favored by climate change and the change in the landscape. More information about the species are also available on the page of the Landes Schleswig-Holstein

The gold jackal is often confused with foxes, but is significantly larger and has a shorter snout and a bushy tail. This misinterpretation could sometimes help that the sheep are not better protected. It remains to be seen how the authorities will proceed in dealing with this increasingly urgent problem.