Raccoons plague at the Seddiner See: Jäger demand launch premium!

Raccoons plague at the Seddiner See: Jäger demand launch premium!

Seddiner See, Brandenburg, Deutschland - Jäger at Seddiner See in Brandenburg is currently calling for a launch for raccoons. This requirement is the result of increasing complaints about the influence of the invasive nature on the domestic wildlife. Raccoons that originally come from North America and have immigrated to Germany since the 1930s damage, especially soil breeders and water birds. The hunter Jörg Dombrowski reported that he observed a decline in ducks and other water birds and speaks of a "raccoon plague" in the region. In this context, the demand for a bonus of 25 euros per raccoon covered, which has already been introduced by the municipality of Seddiner See. Dombrowski's hunting cooperative is now also urging Michendorf to establish a similar system.

The problem is profound. Raccoons eat nests of floor breeders such as partridges, pheasants and ducks. This species has no natural enemies in the region, which makes their population control difficult. According to Dombrowski, hunters already had 48 raccoons last year, and the municipality organized a total of around 60 missions per year to solve the problem. Throughout Brandenburg, several tens of thousands of raccoons are shot every year, and around 200,000 throughout Germany. In addition, the raccoon meat of the raccoon meat has to be officially examined, which causes additional costs for the hunters.

The spread of raccoons

A look at the scientific foundations shows that raccoon population in Germany is estimated between 1.6 and 2 million. This estimate is based on extensive hunting data from 21 years and 398 counties. The results of a study on the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center illustrate that raccoons go through various invasion stages, from initial occurrence to strong growth to a stabilization of the population. The highest densities can currently be found in North Hesse and Nordostbrandenburg, while the spread in southwestern Germany is still in the beginning. Historical events, such as the release of raccoon breeding pairs in 1934 in Northern Hesse and in 1945 in Brandenburg, have led to this extensive distribution, which, despite intensive hunting, continue.

Another aspect of the invasive nature is her hunting behavior, which is always in focus of research. Studies show that raccoons strongly endanger amphibians and reptiles in certain nature reserves. In a nature reserve in East Hesse, more than 400 skinned toads were found in just one hour, which underlines the alarming effects of raccoon population on domestic animal species. Prof. Dr. Sven Klimpel from the Goethe University Frankfurt and other researchers are working to better understand the ecological effects of these invasive robbers.

economic and ecological consequences

The invasive type has not only ecological but also economic influence. The hunting and the necessary countermeasures cause considerable costs, especially in agriculture and healthcare. Raccoons are adaptable omnivores and can displace domestic types, which endangers biodiversity. The study results from the ZOWIAC project show that raccoons capture amphibians and reptiles as prey, which can lead to an imbalance in the ecosystems.