Jackal Madness on Sylt Island: The Hunt for the Elusive Golden Jackal
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Nighttime Sightseers in Pursuit of the Elusive, Yellow-Hued Golden Jackal - Night-time seekers, on the hunt for the elusive gold-coated canid, the nocturnal jackal.
It's a moonlit chase on the shores of Sylt, a German island in the North Sea. Hunters, tirelessly pursuing an elusive creature, the golden jackal. The nocturnal hunter has claimed 90 innocent lambs and sheep since May 19, leading to the imminent hunt.
The golden jackal's hunt might be just as slippery as the creature itself, warns Manfred Uekermann, deputy head of the North Friesland hunting authority. He spoke to the media, "This is a special challenge, but it's not impossible." Hunters have sought advice from specialists, studied literature, and even deployed loudspeakers to lure the jackal.
Shepherds of Sylt are losing sleep
On a Sylt dyke, the golden jackal claimed 78 lambs and two ewes in three nights at the end of May, according to Keitum dyke shepherd, Daniela Andersen. She manages a flock of 900 ewes with her husband. "Every day there's fear that something will happen again." Protection isn't an easy task; barns are stressful for the animals, affect milk production, and the lambs are slow. High fences aren't practical on the large, publicly accessible dyke.
Lost lambs in Sylt's dunes
The golden jackal hasn't just confined its rampage to Keitum. In the Lister Ellenbogen nature reserve, the responsible shepherd has lost ten lambs in the past two weeks. Just as many injured animals have been found, said shepherd Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen. Bite marks and missing ears tell a chilling tale.
Undeterred by barns, the jackal strikes in the open. Diedrichsen can't lock up his 220 ewes and their lambs every day, nor install fences on the vast 600-hectare area.
Shoot to kill
The German environmental agency granted a permit for the jackal's shooting, announced the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of the Environment. The permit is valid until July 31, making it the first officially approved shooting of a golden jackal in Germany.
Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt, from the Green Party, stated, "The golden jackal is a particularly protected species. An exception permit for hunting requires special circumstances. In this case, there are three weighty reasons: to prevent damage to livestock, protect ground-breeding birds, and preserve the significance of dyke sheep farming for coastal protection."
A Sound Hunt
Sylt's hunters with the appropriate permits are ready to join the chase. The Sylt hunting association has ten hunting grounds with around 120 hunters, including about 20 to 30 actively participating in the golden jackal hunt. Their hunting techniques must meet legal requirements, ensuring an instant kill. Capturing, we learn, isn't an option.
The hunt is on the horns, literally, as Thomas Diedrichsen, deputy leader of the hunting association, coordinates the hunt. Jackal calls from loudspeakers could lure the golden jackal in Rantum, as Diedrichsen explained. "If the animal responds to the calls, we know where it is." Such is the price of survival for the golden jackal in Schleswig-Holstein.
Spread of the Golden Jackal
Golden jackals originated from Southeast Asia and Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, according to the German Wildlife Foundation. They made their entry into Germany in 1997 via the Balkans, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The foundation reports that there are now records of golden jackals in most German states. They pose no threat to humans.
First sighting in Schleswig-Holstein was in 2017 in the Dithmarschen district. The population has grown since, raising concerns about management strategies to safeguard local wildlife and agriculture. The golden jackal's presence on Sylt underlines the challenge ahead.
- The community is advocating for aid to protect the environment, particularly focusing on environmental protection measures to control the spread of the golden jackal in Schleswig-Holstein.
- The health of the environment and the farming industry in Sylt Island are at risk due to the ongoing hunting of the golden jackal, leading to discussions about sustainable solutions for coexistence and environmental preservation.
