Raccoon in Switzerland: Shot due to incorrect origin

The raccoon is a newcomer to Switzerland. Since its first sighting in 1976 in the canton of Schaffhausen, it has been slowly spreading from the north. It is still rare: 44 animals were shot across Switzerland in 2023. However, as a "neozoon," it can be hunted year-round without a closed season. The scientific basis for this legal status is weak. The most comprehensive field study in Europe concludes that the raccoon is not a species killer. Nevertheless, Switzerland continues to persecute it.

Profile

The raccoon ( Procyon lotor ) belongs to the family 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 the tail) and a weight of 3.6 to 9 kilograms, although its weight varies considerably depending on the season and food availability. Its most distinctive feature is the black facial mask, which gives it a unique appearance. The bushy tail is ringed in black and white. The forepaws are exceptionally dexterous and resemble small hands, which the raccoon uses to feel, open, and "wash" its food.

Biology and way of life

The raccoon is primarily crepuscular and nocturnal. It is an excellent climber and swimmer and prefers to inhabit deciduous and mixed forests with abundant water. It chooses its sleeping places in hollow trees, fox or badger dens, rock crevices, or, near settlements, in attics and garden sheds (Environmental Advisory Service Lucerne, Waldwissen.net). In Switzerland, it is spreading mainly along rivers, with the concentration in northwestern Switzerland: in 2023, 35 of the 44 raccoons shot were killed in the canton of Basel-Landschaft (Waldwissen.net, 2025). Sightings have now also been reported in central Switzerland, at Lake Walen, and at Lake Geneva.

Raccoons live in social structures that are more complex than previously thought. Females (vixens) form matrilineal groups, known as matriarchal families, with fixed territorial boundaries separating them from other groups. Males migrate between the territories of the vixens, deliberately avoiding mating with their own daughters (Michler, Raccoon Project, Müritz National Park, 2018). This social structure reveals highly developed behavior that contradicts the simplistic label of raccoons as "invasive pests."

Reproduction

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

food

The raccoon is a pronounced opportunistic feeder. The most comprehensive European study, the research project in the Müritz National Park (Dr. Berit Michler and Dr. Frank-Uwe Michler, TU Dresden, 2006–2017), shows that, on average, over 50 percent of its diet consists of mollusks such as earthworms and snails. Plant matter (fruits, berries, nuts) makes up around 32 percent. Vertebrates constitute 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 man-made story

Fur farms and releases

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

Arrival in Switzerland

A raccoon was first observed in Switzerland in 1976 in the canton of Schaffhausen. Since 2003, it has also inhabited the shores of Lake Geneva. Immigration naturally occurs from German populations across the northern border. Sightings were confirmed in the cantons of Solothurn, Basel-Landschaft, Thurgau, and Schaffhausen in the 1980s (Waldwissen.net, 2025). The population remains very small: there is no precise count, but the hunting statistics (2020: 2, 2021: 13, 2022: 17, 2023: 44) show slow but steady growth (Federal Hunting Statistics, 20 Minuten, Waldwissen.net).

The raccoon is in Switzerland because humans brought it to Europe. It didn't "steal" its habitat; it was transported here and is now making the best of it.

Hunting: Open season.

Legal situation

In Switzerland, the raccoon is considered an "non-native species" (neozoon) and, according to the Federal Hunting Act (JSG, Art. 7a), can be hunted year-round without a closed season. There are no hunting quotas, no quotas, and no obligation to utilize the carcass. Any recreational hunter with a valid license may shoot one at any time of year, even during the breeding season. The Canton of Solothurn describes it as a "rather unwelcome guest" and a "potential carrier of diseases" (Canton of Solothurn). The stated goal of the authorities is "to prevent the raccoon from establishing itself in Switzerland in the first place" (Hunting and Fishing Administrator, Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, SRF, 2021).

The scale of the shootdown

The number of raccoons shot is still low, but rising sharply: 2 raccoons were killed in 2020, 17 in 2022, and 44 in 2023, 35 of which were in the canton of Basel-Landschaft (Federal Hunting Statistics, Waldwissen.net). In 2023, over 30 raccoons were recorded in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, and the authorities expect the numbers to continue rising (20 Minuten, 2024). In several cantons, recreational hunters are required to shoot raccoons they encounter. Live traps are used, but must be checked at least once a day.

The failure of the extermination strategy

The example of Germany shows why the strategy of "preventing settlement" is doomed to failure. In Germany, over 200,000 raccoons were shot during 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 has calculated that at least 300,000 animals would have to be killed annually for a genuine reduction in the population. Hunting has not even slowed the spread of the raccoon in Germany. There is no reason to assume that the situation in Switzerland will be any different.

Raccoon researcher Hohmann clarifies that the mere absence of natural predators in Europe does not justify intensive hunting, as natural predation does not play a significant role as a cause of death even in the raccoon's North American range (Wikipedia, Raccoon). In Switzerland, the eagle owl is the raccoon's greatest natural predator (Environmental Advisory Service Lucerne).

The “species killer” narrative: What science really says

The Müritz study

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

The research concludes: No. Calculations showed that vertebrates were only preyed upon in very small quantities and that the affected species were highly abundant in the study area. Most protected species in the area were not part of the raccoons' prey spectrum. Berit Michler's dissertation (TU Dresden, 2017) states that, based on the documented population structure and the lack of dietary specialization, no negative ecological impact is expected in the future. The results suggest a "highly opportunistic use of the food resources available in the area."

NABU Gifhorn summarizes the research situation as follows: “Although there are repeated reports of the negative impact of the raccoon as a nest robber and predator of small game, from a scientific point of view there is no scientifically reproducible evidence from its allochthonous distribution area, even with progressive population growth” (NABU Gifhorn, according to Michler 2017).

Acknowledge local risks, reject sweeping judgments

The Müritz study does not rule out the possibility that raccoons may have a negative impact on individual species at the local level and in areas with greater anthropogenic disturbance, 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 should be taken seriously, but they do not justify a blanket eradication strategy. Species conservation is most effective where it addresses concrete threats: habitat loss, fragmentation, pesticide use, and disturbance. Making the raccoon a scapegoat for problems caused by humans is convenient, but counterproductive.

The compensation mechanism

The Müritz study documented a mechanism that particularly highlights the futility of hunting: When raccoons are lost due to disease or culling, yearling females, which are not normally reproducing, participate more actively in reproduction the following year, quickly compensating for the losses (Michler, 2018). Furthermore, distemper, which led to a population decline in the study area, remained confined to a single territory because the established territory boundaries of the mother families prevented its spread. This social system is more resilient to intervention than recreational hunters are willing to acknowledge.

The raccoon and the “neozoa” debate

What “non-native” really means

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

The IG Wild beim Wild (IG Wild with Wild) criticizes the year-round legal status of the raccoon as a "pseudobiological, unecological condemnation of non-native species" (IG Wild beim Wild, 2021). Animal ethicist Prof. Markus Wild (University of Basel) supported a petition for the protection of the raccoon in Switzerland in 2021.

The German comparison

Over a million raccoons live in Germany, and more than 200,000 are shot every year. Despite this, the population continues to grow. Some cities, like Berlin, are already discussing whether the raccoon should be accepted as part of the urban fauna and managed through castration programs and preventative measures 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 tall tales about raccoons

What would need to change

Introduction of a closed season during the rearing of young : The fact that the raccoon is the only mammal species in Switzerland that can be hunted year-round without any closed season, even during the birth and rearing of young, contradicts the principles of the Animal Welfare Act (TSchG). Non-native species also have a right to minimum standards of animal welfare. The killing of mothers with young 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 is here to stay. The authorities must abandon the eradication strategy and develop a science-based coexistence management system that addresses local conflicts without resorting to blanket persecution of the species.
Prevention instead of culling in residential areas : Raccoons in residential areas are a management problem, not a hunting problem. Marten-proof waste containers, secured roof access points, and a strict feeding ban are the only effective measures. Experience from Kassel and other German cities shows that preventive conflict management effectively minimizes the problems (Michler and Michler, 2012).
Protecting native fauna through habitat enhancement : Where raccoons actually threaten protected species, such as ground-nesting birds or amphibians, conservation measures must address the source of the threat: enhancing breeding habitats, creating spawning waters with predation protection, and improving structural diversity. Shooting raccoons while simultaneously destroying the habitats of the affected species is not a species 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 sightings. 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 labeling as an "invasive pest" and the year-round hunting permit convey an image that has more to do with xenophobia than with science.

Argumentation

"The raccoon is an invasive neozoon and must be eliminated before it spreads further." The example of Germany shows that the eradication strategy has failed. Despite over 200,000 raccoons being shot each year, the population continues to grow. The raccoon possesses a biological compensation mechanism that offsets losses through increased reproduction. Switzerland will no longer be able to get rid of the raccoon. The question is not whether, but how, the country can coexist with it.

“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 can be resolved more effectively through habitat protection than through culling.

"The raccoon has no natural predators in Europe and therefore must be hunted." Raccoon researcher Hohmann has demonstrated 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 predator. The return of the wolf could also have an impact in the long term. The absence of predators does not justify the blanket persecution of a species whose population dynamics are self-regulating through territoriality and food availability.

"There is no closed season because every kill counts." Year-round hunting without a closed season means that mother animals with young can be shot while their offspring are still dependent on them. This violates the spirit of the animal welfare law, which mandates the protection of young, lactating, or nursing parents. Animals from other regions also feel pain and fear. Their origin does not change that.

"Raccoons transmit the dangerous raccoon roundworm." The raccoon roundworm ( Baylisascaris procyonis ) is a real health risk that must be taken seriously. However, no infestation with the roundworm has been detected in the Müritz National Park (Michler, 2017). There are currently no confirmed cases in Switzerland. The risk is effectively managed through hygiene measures (avoiding contact with raccoon feces, deworming dogs). It does not justify mass culling.

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Sources

Federal Hunting Statistics, FOEN/Wildlife Switzerland: http://www.jagdstatistik.ch (Data on raccoon kills and roadkill)
Waldwissen.net/WSL: The raccoon, a rascal with destructive potential (Lässig, 2003, updated 2025)
Michler, BA (2017/2020): Coproscopy studies on the diet of raccoons in the Müritz National Park. Dissertation, TU Dresden
Michler, F.-U. (2016/2018): Mammalian field research on the population biology of the raccoon in the Müritz National Park. Dissertation, TU Dresden
Michler, F.-U. and Michler, B. (2012): Ecological, economic and epidemiological significance of the raccoon in Germany. Contributions to Hunting and Wildlife Research 37: 387–395
SRF News (2021): Deadly visit, raccoon gets lost in Appenzell and is shot dead
20 Minutes (2024): No enemies, plenty of food: Switzerland is threatened by a raccoon invasion
Animal World (2021): Protect or hunt raccoons?
Environmental Advice Lucerne: Raccoon (umweltberatung-luzern.ch)
Canton of Solothurn: Raccoon (so.ch)
NABU Gifhorn: The raccoon, not a species killer (nabu-gifhorn.jimdoweb.com)
Info fauna, National Data and Information Centre of Swiss Fauna: Distribution map of the raccoon
IG Wild beim Wild (2019/2021): Facts instead of hunters' tales about raccoons, petition for the protection of the raccoon (wildbeimwild.com)
Wikipedia: Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Federal Act on Hunting and the Protection of Wild Mammals and Birds (JSG, SR 922.0)
Animal Welfare Act (TSchG, SR 455)

Our claim

The raccoon is an animal paying the price for human mistakes. It was brought to Europe to be bred and killed for its fur. When it escaped and adapted to the new conditions, it was declared an "invasive species" and once again subject to hunting. Year-round hunting without a closed season, which doesn't even spare mothers with young, violates every fundamental principle of animal welfare. The most comprehensive field study in Europe concludes that the raccoon is not a species killer. The example of Germany proves that the eradication strategy has failed. Switzerland has the opportunity to take a different path: coexistence instead of persecution, prevention instead of blanket culling, science instead of hunters' tales. The raccoon is here, and it will stay. It is up to us whether we accept it as a fellow resident or continue to senselessly persecute it. This dossier will be continuously updated as new figures, studies, or political developments necessitate it.

More on the topic of hobby hunting: In our dossier on hunting, we compile fact checks, analyses and background reports.