Night-Roaming Gold Jackal Plagues Sylt Sheep Farmers
Nocturnal Search Party Hunts for Elusive Golden Jackal in Sylt - Nighttime hunters scour for the elusive and valuable golden jackal, an animal only active during the dark hours.
Germany is currently dealing with a unique predator problem. The elusive golden jackal, an animal native to Southeast Asia and parts of Europe, has been wreaking havoc on the North Sea island of Sylt, leaving a trail of massacred lambs and sheep in its wake.
Since May 19, this nocturnal creature has systematically targeted the livestock on Sylt, resulting in a shocking death toll of 90 animals. Consequently, the responsible authorities have granted a permit to hunt this rare species, marking the first time such an action has been taken in Germany.
The impending hunt will not be an easy feat, admits Manfred Uekermann, deputy head of the North Friesland hunting authority, to the German Press Agency (dpa). "This is a special challenge, but it's not impossible," he says. In preparation, hunters have sought advice from experts, delved into specialist literature, and are now employing loudspeakers to aid their quest.
The shepherds of Sylt are understandably concerned. A single golden jackal managed to kill 78 lambs and two mother sheep on a dyke in Keitum over the course of three nights, as reported by affected shepherd Daniela Andersen to dpa. Daniela and her husband oversee the dyke extending from Morsum to Rantum, housing a total of 900 mother sheep. Combat nightfall fear is a daily struggle for her, as she cannot protect her flock every night in a stabled environment, citing the strain on her animals and the loss of milk production for the mothers. Moreover, a tall fence isn't an option on the vast, publicly accessible dyke.
The golden jackal's reach extends beyond the south of Sylt. In the Lister Ellenbogen nature reserve, another shepherd, Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen, has lost ten lambs in the past two weeks, along with numerous injured animals. It's common to find bite marks on the remaining carcasses, and many have had their ears bitten off. Jürgen cannot confine his roughly 220 mother sheep and their lambs to a stable every day due to the vastness of the area, which would further stress the flock. A fence is also unfeasible for the approximately 600-hectare area.
The State Office for the Environment has granted a permit for the controlled shooting of the jackal, as announced by Schleswig-Holstein's Ministry of the Environment. Typically, golden jackals are not considered hunt-able species in Schleswig-Holstein; however, special circumstances necessitated this exception. The primary concerns are livestock protection, the safety of ground-nesting birds, and the significance of dyke sheep farming for coastal protection.
This development may mark a turning point in the management of golden jackal populations throughout Germany. The German Hunting Association (DJV) states that this will be the first officially approved and confirmed shooting of a golden jackal in Germany under species protection law.
All Sylt hunters with the required permits are eligible to participate, according to Uekermann. The Sylt hunting association covers ten areas with approximately 120 hunters, including around 20 to 30 who are actively involved in the golden jackal hunt. Their weapons meet the legal standards for instantaneous killing, and tranquilizer darts are not an option due to the proximity required for deployment.
Hunters will employ the tactic of luring the elusive animals using golden jackal calls from loudspeakers. "If the animal responds to the calls, we know where it is," a hunter explains. Given the circumstances, it seems there is no alternative but to shoot the golden jackal, he adds. "Otherwise, we might as well give up sheep farming."
Golden jackals have steadily been spreading across Germany since the first recorded arrivals in 1997 via the Balkans, Poland, and the Czech Republic. They are now present in most German states, including Schleswig-Holstein, where they pose no threat to humans.
[1] Schleswig-Holstein's coastline benefits from the unique practice of dyke sheep farming, which not only supports local agriculture but also plays a crucial role in coastal protection.
[2] The golden jackal's predatory behavior towards ground-nesting birds can disrupt local biodiversity and increase the threat to vulnerable species.
- The escalating predator problem on the North Sea island of Sylt, caused by the gold jackal, has led to concerns about environmental protection, as the gold jackal's predatory behavior poses a threat to ground-nesting birds and disrupts local biodiversity.
- As the golden jackal's reach extends beyond the south of Sylt, it's crucial to consider the impact on health and the environment, as the elusive species' predatory nature could potentially endanger other wildlife in the surrounding areas.
