Raccoon Switzerland: Shooting due to wrong origin

The raccoon is a newcomer to Switzerland. Since the first sighting in 1976 in Canton Schaffhausen, it has slowly spread from the north. It is still rare: in 2023, 44 animals were shot nationwide. But as an 'invasive species' it may be hunted year-round without closed season. The scientific basis for this outlawing is thin. Europe's most comprehensive field study concludes: The raccoon is not a species killer. Switzerland persecutes it nonetheless.

Profile

The raccoon (Procyon lotor) belongs to the family of small bears (Procyonidae) and is native to North and Central America. It is a medium-sized mammal with a body length of 41 to 71 centimeters (excluding tail) and a weight of 3.6 to 9 kilograms, with weight varying considerably depending on season and food availability. Its most distinctive feature is the black facial mask, which gives it an unmistakable appearance. The bushy tail is ringed black and white. The front paws are exceptionally dexterous and resemble small hands, with which the raccoon can feel, open and 'wash' food.

Biology and lifestyle

The raccoon is predominantly crepuscular and nocturnal. It is an excellent climber and swimmer and preferentially inhabits water-rich deciduous and mixed forests. It chooses its sleeping places in hollow trees, fox or badger dens, rock crevices or, near settlements, in attics and tool sheds (Umweltberatung Luzern, Waldwissen.net). In Switzerland, it spreads primarily along watercourses, with the focus in northwestern Switzerland: in 2023, 35 of the 44 shot raccoons were killed in the canton of Basel-Landschaft (Waldwissen.net, 2025). Sightings now also occur in central Switzerland, at Lake Walen and at Lake Geneva.

The raccoon lives in social structures that are more complex than long assumed. Females form matrilineal groups, so-called maternal families, with fixed territorial boundaries to other groups. Males wander between the territories of the females while specifically avoiding mating with their own daughters (Michler, Projekt Waschbär, Müritz-Nationalpark, 2018). This social structure demonstrates highly developed behavior that contradicts the simple labeling as 'invasive pest'.

Reproduction

The mating season falls in the months of February and March. After a gestation period of around 63 days, the female gives birth to an average of 2 to 5 young in April or May. In the wild, life expectancy is only 1.8 to 3.1 years (Wikipedia, Waschbär). Hunting and traffic accidents are the two most common causes of death. Raccoon populations possess a pronounced compensation mechanism: when animals are lost due to disease or hunting, younger females participate more actively in reproduction and quickly compensate for losses (Michler, 2018).

Diet

The raccoon is a pronounced dietary opportunist. The most comprehensive European study, the research project in Müritz National Park (Dr. Berit Michler and Dr. Frank-Uwe Michler, TU Dresden, 2006–2017), shows that its diet consists of more than 50 percent soft-bodied animals such as earthworms and snails on an annual average. Plant food (fruits, berries, nuts) makes up around 32 percent. Vertebrates make up only a small proportion (IG Wild beim Wild, Nordkurier, 2019). The raccoon is not a specialized hunter, but a gatherer that takes what is available.

How the raccoon came to Europe: A human-made story

Fur farms and releases

The raccoon is not an intruder that found its own way to Europe. It was brought here by humans. In the 1920s and 1930s, fur farm operators imported raccoons from North America to Germany. In 1934, two pairs were deliberately released into the wild at Edersee in Hesse to 'enrich the native fauna' (Wikipedia, Waschbär). In the post-war period, additional animals escaped from destroyed fur farms. The entire European population developed from these sources.

Arrival in Switzerland

In 1976, a raccoon was observed for the first time in Switzerland in the canton of Schaffhausen. Since 2003, it has also colonized the shore region of Lake Geneva. Immigration occurs naturally from the German populations across the northern border. In the 1980s, records followed in the cantons of Solothurn, Basel-Landschaft, Thurgau and Schaffhausen (Waldwissen.net, 2025). The population remains very small: there is no exact count, but the shooting numbers (2020: 2, 2021: 13, 2022: 17, 2023: 44) show slow but steady growth (Eidgenössische Jagdstatistik, 20 Minuten, Waldwissen.net).

The raccoon is in Switzerland because humans brought it to Europe. It did not 'steal' its habitat, it was transported here and is now making the best of it.

The hunting: Year-round outlawed

Legal situation

The raccoon is considered a 'non-native species' (neozoon) in Switzerland and is huntable year-round without a closed season under the Federal Hunting Act (JSG, Art. 7a). There are no shooting plans, no quota regulations and no obligation for utilization. Any hobby hunter with a valid license may shoot them at any time of year, even during the rearing of young. The Canton of Solothurn designates them as 'rather unwelcome guests' and 'potential disease carriers' (Canton Solothurn). The declared goal of authorities is 'to prevent the establishment of raccoons in Switzerland in the first place' (Hunting and Fisheries Administrator Canton Appenzell Innerrhoden, SRF, 2021).

The Scale of the Killing

The shooting numbers are still low but sharply increasing: 2 raccoons were killed in 2020, 17 in 2022, and already 44 in 2023, of which 35 were in Canton Basel-Landschaft (Federal Hunting Statistics, Waldwissen.net). In Canton Basel-Landschaft, over 30 raccoons were documented in 2023, and authorities expect the numbers to continue rising (20 Minuten, 2024). Recreational hunters in several cantons are instructed to shoot raccoons when encountered. Live traps are used but must be checked at least once daily.

The Failure of the Eradication Strategy

The example of Germany shows why the strategy of 'preventing establishment' is doomed to failure. In Germany, over 200,000 raccoons were shot in the 2020/21 hunting season. The population is estimated at over one million animals and continues to grow (Wikipedia, Waldwissen.net). Zoologist Frank-Uwe Michler calculated that at least 300,000 animals would need to be killed annually for actual population reduction. Hunting has not even slowed the spread of raccoons in Germany. There is no reason to assume the situation in Switzerland will unfold differently.

Raccoon researcher Hohmann clarifies that the mere absence of natural enemies in European territory does not justify intensive hunting, since natural predation plays no significant role as a cause of death even in the North American region of origin (Wikipedia, Raccoon). In Switzerland, the eagle owl is the largest natural enemy of the raccoon (Environmental Consulting Lucerne).

More on this: Why recreational hunting fails as population control

The 'species killer' narrative: What science actually says

The Müritz Study

The most comprehensive and longest field study on raccoons in Europe was conducted from 2006 to 2017 in Müritz National Park (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). The team led by Dr. Berit Michler and Dr. Frank-Uwe Michler from TU Dresden captured 145 animals over the years, fitted 69 with radio collars, and collected hundreds of fecal samples for dietary analysis. The central question was: Are raccoons dangerous to native and protected animal species?

The conclusion of the research is: No. The calculations showed that vertebrates were preyed upon only in very small quantities and the affected species showed high abundance in the study area. Most protected species in the area were not part of the raccoons' prey spectrum. The dissertation by Berit Michler (TU Dresden, 2017) concludes that based on the documented population structure and lack of dietary specialization, no negative ecological impact is to be expected in the future. The results indicate 'highly opportunistic utilization of the food resources available in the area'.

NABU Gifhorn summarizes the study situation as follows: «Although negative influences of raccoons as nest predators and small game predators are repeatedly reported, from a scientific perspective there is no scientifically reproducible evidence from their allochthonous distribution area, even with advancing population growth» (NABU Gifhorn, according to Michler 2017).

Acknowledge local risks, reject blanket judgments

The Müritz study does not rule out that raccoons can have a negative influence on individual species at the local level and in more anthropogenically disturbed areas, particularly on ground-nesting birds and amphibians. Studies from Saxony-Anhalt have documented breeding losses in red kites, common swifts, wrynecks and pied flycatchers (Wikipedia, raccoon). These local findings must be taken seriously, but they do not justify a blanket extermination strategy. Species protection is most effective when it addresses concrete threats: habitat loss, fragmentation, pesticide use and disturbance. Making raccoons the scapegoat for problems caused by humans is convenient, but not effective.

The compensation mechanism

The Müritz study documented a mechanism that makes the futility of hunting particularly clear: When raccoons are lost due to disease or culling, yearling females that normally do not yet reproduce participate more actively in reproduction the following year and quickly compensate for the losses (Michler, 2018). The distemper that led to a population collapse in the study area also remained confined to a single territory because the fixed territorial boundaries of the matriarchal families prevented its spread. This social system is more resistant to interventions than recreational hunters want to admit.

The raccoon and the «neozoa» debate

What «non-native» really means

The raccoon is classified as an «invasive neozoon» in Switzerland. But what does «non-native» mean in a world where humans have been moving species around the globe for centuries? The raccoon did not come to Europe of its own accord. It was imported, released by humans, and is now left to fend for itself. Punishing it for surviving and adapting to new conditions is ethically questionable.

IG Wild beim Wild criticizes the year-round outlawing of raccoons as «pseudobiological, unecological condemnation of foreign species» (IG Wild beim Wild, 2021). Animal ethicist Prof. Markus Wild (University of Basel) supported a petition for the protection of raccoons in Switzerland in 2021.

The German comparison

Over one million raccoons live in Germany, and over 200,000 are shot annually. The population continues to grow nonetheless. Individual cities like Berlin are already discussing whether raccoons should not be accepted as part of the urban fauna and managed with castration programs and prevention instead of culling (TierWelt, 2021). Switzerland has the opportunity to learn from Germany's mistakes instead of repeating them.

More on this: Facts instead of hunting folklore about raccoons

What would need to change

Introduction of a closed season during juvenile rearing: The fact that raccoons are the only mammalian species in Switzerland that may be hunted year-round without any closed season, even during birth and rearing of young, contradicts the principles of the Animal Welfare Act (TSchG). Even non-native species have a right to minimum standards in animal welfare. The killing of nursing mother animals must be prohibited.
Science-based management instead of blanket persecution: The current strategy of 'preventing settlement' has failed. The raccoon has arrived in Switzerland and will remain. Authorities must abandon the eradication strategy and develop science-based coexistence management that addresses local conflicts without blanket persecution of the species.
Prevention instead of shooting in urban areas: Raccoons in urban areas are a management problem, not a hunting problem. Marten-proof waste containers, secured roof access and a strict feeding ban are the only effective measures. Experience from Kassel and other German cities shows that preventive conflict management effectively minimizes problems (Michler and Michler, 2012).
Protection of native fauna through habitat enhancement: Where raccoons actually threaten protected species, such as ground-nesting birds or amphibians, protective measures must address the source: enhancement of breeding habitats, creation of spawning waters with predation protection, improvement of structural diversity. Shooting raccoons while simultaneously destroying the habitats of affected species is not a conservation strategy.
Research and monitoring: There are no reliable population figures for raccoons in Switzerland. The distribution map from info fauna is based on reports and chance observations. Systematic monitoring is a prerequisite for any evidence-based decision.
No criminalization of the animal: The raccoon is not to blame for its presence in Europe. The responsibility lies with humans who brought it here. The blanket designation as 'invasive pest' and year-round hunting approval convey an image that has more to do with xenophobia toward species than with science.

Arguments

'The raccoon is an invasive neozoon and must be eliminated before it spreads further.' The German example shows that the eradication strategy has failed. Despite over 200,000 kills per year, the population continues to grow. The raccoon has a biological compensation mechanism that offsets losses through increased reproduction. Switzerland will not get rid of raccoons. The question is not whether, but how it will coexist with them.

'The raccoon is a species killer that threatens native animal species.' The most comprehensive European field study (Michler and Michler, Müritz National Park, 2006–2017) concludes that the raccoon is not a species killer. Its diet consists of over 50 percent mollusks and around 32 percent plants. Most protected species in the study area were not part of its prey spectrum. Local conflicts with ground-nesting birds are real, but more effectively resolved through habitat protection than through shooting.

'The raccoon has no natural enemies in Europe and must therefore be hunted.' Raccoon researcher Hohmann has proven that natural predation is not a significant cause of death for raccoons even in their North American native range. In Switzerland, the eagle owl is a natural enemy. The return of the wolf could also have an influence in the long term. The absence of predators does not justify blanket persecution of a species whose population dynamics self-regulate through territoriality and food availability.

'There is no closed season because every kill counts.' Year-round hunting approval without closed seasons means that leading mother animals may be shot while their young are still dependent on them. This violates the spirit of animal welfare law, which prescribes protection of young, leading or nursing parent animals. Non-native animals also feel pain and fear. Their origin changes nothing about that.

'The raccoon transmits the dangerous raccoon roundworm.' The raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) is a real health risk that must be taken seriously. However, in the Müritz National Park, no infestation with the roundworm could be detected (Michler, 2017). In Switzerland, there are no confirmed cases to date. The risk is effectively managed through hygiene measures (no contact with raccoon feces, deworming of dogs). It does not justify mass killing.

Quick links

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Sources

Federal hunting statistics, FOEN/Wildlife Switzerland: http://www.jagdstatistik.ch (shooting and roadkill data raccoon)
Waldwissen.net/WSL: The raccoon, A rascal with destructive potential (Lässig, 2003, updated 2025)
Michler, B. A. (2017/2020): Coproscopic investigations on the dietary spectrum of raccoons in Müritz National Park. Dissertation TU Dresden
Michler, F.-U. (2016/2018): Mammalian field research on the population biology of raccoons in Müritz National Park. Dissertation TU Dresden
Michler, F.-U. and Michler, B. (2012): Ecological, economic and epidemiological significance of raccoons in Germany. Contributions to hunting and wildlife research 37: 387–395
SRF News (2021): Deadly visit, Raccoon strays into Appenzell region and is shot
20 Minuten (2024): No enemies, plenty of food: Switzerland faces a raccoon invasion
TierWelt (2021): Protect or hunt raccoons?
Environmental Advisory Lucerne: Raccoon (umweltberatung-luzern.ch)
Canton Solothurn: Raccoon (so.ch)
NABU Gifhorn: The raccoon, no species killer (nabu-gifhorn.jimdoweb.com)
Info fauna, National Data and Information Center of Swiss Fauna: Distribution map raccoon
IG Wild beim Wild (2019/2021): Facts instead of hunter's tales about raccoons, Petition for raccoon protection (wildbeimwild.com)
Wikipedia: Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Federal Act on Hunting and the Protection of Wild Mammals and Birds (HPA, SR 922.0)
Animal Welfare Act (AWA, SR 455)

Our mission

The raccoon is an animal that pays for human mistakes. It was brought to Europe to be bred and killed for its fur. When it escaped and adapted to new conditions, it was declared an 'invasive neozoon' and once again authorized for shooting. Year-round hunting without closed seasons, which doesn't even spare leading mother animals, violates every basic principle of animal protection. Europe's most comprehensive field study concludes that the raccoon is not a species killer. The example of Germany proves that the extermination strategy has failed. Switzerland has the chance to take a different path: coexistence instead of persecution, prevention instead of blanket shooting, science instead of hunters' tales. The raccoon is here, and it will stay. It's up to us whether we accept it as a cohabitant or continue to pursue it senselessly. This dossier is continuously updated when new figures, studies or political developments require it.

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