Suche
Mein Konto
Raccoon plague in Leipzig: Over 1,000 animals killed!
In Leipzig, over 1,000 raccoons were shot in 2023 to counteract the increasing plague in the city.
Raccoon plague in Leipzig: Over 1,000 animals killed!
The raccoons are on the rise - this is noticeable in Leipzig and far beyond. In the 2023/2024 hunting year, over 1,000 of these clever animals were shot in Bavaria. This is not just a number on paper, but also reflects the growing problem that many homeowners and city residents are facing. Wherever raccoons leave their mark, people complain of ransacked gardens and uninvited searches for food at night. The MDR reports that around 203,000 raccoons were killed nationwide in 2023 - an alarming number that has doubled in the last decade.
The rapid reproduction of these animals is no coincidence. Raccoons have hardly any natural enemies and are extremely adaptable, which not only allows them a wide living environment but also leads to the pregnancy of up to five offspring. City trappers like Martin Matzick and Jens Fischer are active in Leipzig and hunt them down in places like farms. Matzick emphasizes that killing on site is less stressful for the animal.
A growing problem
But this is not just a local phenomenon. According to that German Hunting Association Raccoons are spreading more and more in Germany. A report shows that the presence of these animals was reported in 69 percent of hunting areas in 2023 - an increase of almost 75 percent since 2011. Raccoons are particularly well represented in Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt. In many areas they already outperform the native red fox in hunting statistics.
This spread not only causes trouble for local residents, but also poses ecological risks. Raccoons prey on amphibians such as toads and frogs during their mating season, which may lead to localized extinctions in some regions. According to the World Biodiversity Council IPBES, invasive species such as raccoons pose a significant threat to biological diversity.
Research on raccoons
A new study by the Goethe University Frankfurt investigates the distribution patterns of raccoons in Germany. As part of the ZOWIAC project, researchers are analyzing hunting data from 398 German districts over two decades. This precise recording is intended to help identify the raccoon's invasion stages and make control measures more efficient. Populations are already stagnating, particularly in northern Hesse and northeast Brandenburg, while the first expansions are becoming visible in southwest Germany.
The challenge is huge and complex: While hunters and city trappers in Leipzig and elsewhere are actively taking action against raccoons, there are also voices in certain circles that are calling for castration of the animals as a long-term solution. In Berlin, Lisa Brix is involved in an association that advocates for the protection of raccoons, but her efforts to obtain approval for a long-term study on the raccoon population were rejected.
The discussion about how to deal with this invasive species is becoming more intense as more people are confronted with the consequences of the raccoon spread. Whether through trapping methods, castration or other measures - one thing is certain: the raccoon will be with us for a long time, and it is up to us to find solutions that do justice to both the animals and people.