Germany: Hobby Hunters Kill Over 100,000 Nutrias
For the first time, hobby hunters in Germany have killed over 100,000 nutrias in a single season. Recreational hunting demonstrably stimulates reproduction.
For the first time, hobby hunters in Germany have killed more than 100,000 nutrias in a single hunting season.
This is according to figures from the German Hunting Association (DJV). During the last hunting season from April 2020 to March 2021, a total of 101,108 nutrias were killed — 57 times more animals than 20 years ago, according to the association. The hunting bag is seen as an indication that the rodent, originally from South America, has multiplied significantly in recent years. Hobby hunters cite milder winters due to climate change and feeding of the animals as reasons, although the main cause — as with raccoons and raccoon dogs — likely lies in the pointless practice of hunting itself.
Nutrias spreading across all of Germany
According to DJV figures, nutrias are now found throughout Germany, but particularly in the northwest along the Ems, Weser, Elbe and Rhine rivers. More than 70% of all animals were recently killed in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, followed by Saxony-Anhalt with a share of 11 percent.
Nutrias, which look similar to beavers, originally come from South America and were kept on farms in Germany from 1880 onwards for their meat and fur, according to the DJV. Escaped animals established their own populations and have colonised rivers, lakes and ponds.
The German Hunting Association views the spread of the animals with concern. “This is a real challenge for flood protection and species conservation,” said DJV spokesman Reinwald.
Raccoon hunting stimulates reproduction
Above all, the raccoon, originally from North America, Raccoon are considered by hobby hunters to have great potential for spread. According to the DJV, the hunting bag has grown more than 22-fold from 2000/2001 to 2020/2021, reaching 200’163 animals most recently.
I don't know a single scientist or hunting expert who seriously believes that hunting can keep these animals in check. We simply have to accept that the raccoon feels at home here and that we cannot regulate it. In that sense, we have to find a way to coexist with it.
Dr. Ulf Hohmann, wildlife biologist and raccoon expert
Recreational hunting as the cause, not the solution
The behavior of the recreational hunting community toward so-called “invasive species” (even though the EU does not prescribe killing them, but rather recommends the use of other non-lethal measures) is clearly evident from the trend in hunting bags in Germany.
It has long been scientifically proven that raccoon hunting not only stimulates reproduction but also destroys age structures and social structures. The attempt to push back animal species through hunting is now also considered hopeless and failed in Germany.
The recreational hunting community therefore does not contribute to defusing potential problems — it is itself a cause of potential risks to the public. Particularly when it comes to hobby hunting, it is essential that the public looks very closely. Nowhere else is there so much manipulation through falsehoods and fake news. Further background on the animal welfare issues can be found in the dossiers published by Wild beim Wild.
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