Greifswald restricts the robotic lawnmowers: protection for hedgehogs in danger!

Greifswald restricts the robotic lawnmowers: protection for hedgehogs in danger!

in Greifswald it becomes serious about the protection of the hedgehogs: the citizens have agreed to prevent the nightly use of robots. This decision is not from heaven - it is the result of the application "Animal -friendly Greifswald: Igelpopulation protect", brought in by the "Alternative List*Animal Welfare*Party" faction. The main focus is on the dangers for the nocturnal hedgehogs, which are often victims of the automated devices during gardening. Robert Gabel from the Mensch Party Environmental Animal Welfare said that many older robotic lawnmowers do not have reliable sensors and therefore there is a risk that hedgehogs will not be noticed in time. This not only leads to injuries, but also burden animal protection financially: According to the fork, four million euros in Germany would have to be raised for hedgehog care without taking into account the veterinary costs.

How can you help the hedgehogs? One of the measures is to ban the night operation of these garden tools. This is primarily welcomed by animal and conservationists who stand up for more consideration of the wild animals. On the other hand, critics such as AfD parliamentary group leader Nikolaus Kramer argue that instead of further bans, the awareness of the garden owners is necessary. He himself has had a robotic lawnmower since last year and sees the control of such laws critically.

a guide for other cities

The topic not only attracts attention in Greifswald. Similar regulations also apply in other cities, including Cologne, Leipzig and Mainz. From autumn 2024, the nightly mowing is prohibited to protect the stocks of the European hedgehog, the number of which has decreased significantly in recent years. The cities of Halle and Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt have also spoken out for such bans. This shows that the political interest in effective species protection is high.

Experts argue that biodiversity in our settlement areas will continue to come under pressure without any night driving bans. Low noise robots that drive through the gardens unnoticed are particularly problematic for animals that are active at dusk and at night. The Nature Conservation Association of Germany (NABU) has already warned that devices in particular are a high risk of wildlife without sensors.

The way forward

After the voices were counted in Greifswald, there was a clear result: 27 votes for the ban, 5, on the other hand, all from the AfD, and five abstentions. The administration has now been commissioned to develop legal framework conditions for the night driving ban and to have the citizens vote on it. Dr. Thomas Kerath from the SPD confirmed that the injured hedgehogs are a problem that urgently needs to be addressed.

Developments in Greifswald can be a model for other cities. In Maisach near Munich, the municipal council has already agreed to a nightly driving ban for municipal robotic lawnmowers. The question remains how effectively such regulations can be enforced, especially in communities that have a less clear attitude towards robotic robots in night operations.

Overall, the advance in Greifswald is a small but crucial step into a more animal -friendly future. The measures taken there could take pioneers in species protection and stimulate other municipalities to do something similar.