Suche
Mein Konto
Animal sensation in Neustadt: swan chicks delight park visitors!
Neustadt in Saxony reports stagnating birth rates and remarkable young swans in the city park - an animal sensation.
Animal sensation in Neustadt: swan chicks delight park visitors!
In Neustadt in Saxony, one topic is currently being particularly hotly debated: the decline in births and the associated population development. Worrying figures show the city's population fell from 11,941 in December last year to 11,810 a year later. This is part of a larger trend that has affected Germany since 1990. Loud Destatis According to estimates, the number of newborns in the entire year 2024 will reach around 680,000 children, the lowest value since 2014.
Why is that? One reason could be the decreasing number of potential mothers in East Germany. The birth rate here is falling steadily and in 2023 it was already 52% lower than in 1990, although it has almost reached the level of 1995. The analysis of Saxony population monitor shows that many young women decide against having children, which has a significant impact on birth rates.
Animal news in the city park
However, not everything was always peaceful in the swan paradise. In recent years there have been several incidents that have shocked the public, including the disappearance of young swans and the sad death of a female swan. The attention that Swan Hans received when he was presumably beheaded in autumn 2021 shows that the swans in Neustadt are not only in the culinary spotlight, but also emotionally.
Feeding the swans is prohibited
Feeding the swans has now led to heated discussions on social media. To protect the animals, the city has put up warning signs prohibiting feeding them with bread. Poultry farmer Gotthard Mutscher emphasizes that the swans find enough food in their natural environment and that feeding them can even be harmful to their health.
It is becoming increasingly clear how the situation of the animals is a reflection of the generally declining birth rates in the region. Greylag geese have already disappeared from the park, while at the same time goldfish and other fish species are happily multiplying in the pond. This shows that the decline in the human population is also leaving its mark on the animal world.
Overall, it can be said that Neustadt in Saxony is in a phase of change - both in the human and animal population. How these developments will shape up in the future remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the young swans are a ray of hope in difficult times and bring a bit of joy back into the city park.