Chasing the Night-Roaming Golden Jackal on Sylt
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Nighttime searchers on Sylt island are after the elusive golden jackal, a nocturnal canid species. - Nighttime searchers pursue the elusive, nocturnal golden jackal
The hunt is on for a golden jackal on the picturesque island of Sylt. Since the 19th of May, the elusive predator has claimed 90 lives of lambs and sheep, setting the stage for a nocturnal chase.
Known for its nocturnal habits, the golden jackal hunt won't be a walk in the park, said Manfred Uekermann, deputy head of the North Friesland hunting authority, to the German Press Agency (dpa). "This is one tough challenge, but it's far from impossible," Uekermann declared. The hunting party has sought advice from experts, pored over specialist literature and videos, and is now equipping themselves with loudspeakers.
Shepherds are in a constant state of worry
A series of gruesome incidents at the end of May claimed the lives of 78 lambs and two ewes on a dyke, as reported by the affected shepherd from Keitum to dpa. Daniela Andersen manages the dyke from Morsum to Rantum, and she and her husband tend to 900 ewes. With the golden jackal on the loose, every day is a dreadful day for her. "The fear that something might happen again keeps us on our toes."
Protecting the flock is a daunting task, Andersen explained. "It's a massive stress for the animals if I round them up into the barn every night with dogs and cars. It's like they're being chased." This constant stress negatively affects milk production, and the lambs grow at a snail's pace. A high fence is not an option for the large, publicly accessible dyke.
Lost lambs multiplied in Sylt's northern areas
The golden jackal has also preyed upon livestock in the island's north. In the Lister Ellenbogen nature reserve, the local shepherd has lost ten lambs in the past fortnight. As many animals were injured, said shepherd Jürgen Wolf-Diedrichsen, adding that many had their ears bitten off, and he also found bite marks on other parts of the bodies.
Protecting his 220 ewes and their newborn lambs is not feasible, Wolf-Diedrichsen said. "That's just not doable. I can't round them up every day, the area is too large, and it would stress the animals even more." A fence is also not an option for the approximately 600-hectare area.
Golden jackal might be shot
Germany's Environmental Ministry has granted a shooting permit for the golden jackal, as announced by the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of the Environment. The permit came into force on the first of June and remains valid until July 31. Amusingly, the golden jackal is not a hunt-able species in Schleswig-Holstein.
Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt (Greens) acknowledges the golden jackal's protected status. An exception for shooting requires special circumstances, he explained. "In this case, there are three compelling reasons, so I support the exception permit by the state environmental agency."
It would be the first officially approved and confirmed shooting of a golden jackal in Germany, as stated by the German Hunting Association (DJV).
Hunting on Sylt might not be easy
All Sylt hunters with appropriate permits are eligible to participate in the hunt for the golden jackal, said Uekermann. The Sylt hunting association manages ten hunting grounds with around 120 hunters, including approximately 20 to 30 who are actively involved in hunting the golden jackal. Their weapons comply with the legal requirements for an instant kill, and tranquilizing and capturing the animal is not an option as it would require hunters to get much closer using sedative darts.
Hunting with sounds
Thomas Diedrichsen, the deputy leader of the hunting association, oversees the operation. The jackal was spotted in Rantum on the night of the 2nd and 3rd of June. Hunters employed golden jackal calls from speakers to lure the animal. "If the animal responds to the calls, we know it's nearby," said Diedrichsen. With no alternative to shooting it in sight, the hunters are ready to take matters into their own hands to save local farming.
Golden jackals on the rise
Golden jackals hail from Southeast Asia and Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, according to the German Wildlife Foundation. The first animals arrived in Germany in 1997 via the Balkans, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Today, there are records of golden jackals in most German states. Unlike livestock, they pose no threat to humans.
Sylt is the latest hotspot for golden jackal sightings. The first sighting in Schleswig-Holstein was in 2017 in the Dithmarschen district. Since then, the number of incidents reported in the state has multiplied. According to mid-April reports from the Ministry of the Environment in Kiel, there were five sightings between May 2024 and April 2025. Schleswig-Holstein is an attractive habitat for golden jackals.
- Golden jackal
- Sylt
- Sheep
- Lambs
- Hunting
- Rantum
- Schleswig-Holstein
- Environment
- BMU
- North Frisia
- German Press Agency
- Dune
- Car
- Mothers
- Hunters
Additional insight:
The golden jackal predicament on Sylt has stirred discussions among local residents, conservationists, and hunting associations, causing a significant divide in opinions. Proposed strategies include permitting hunting tourism as a means of population control based on concerns about negative impacts on local wildlife like ground-nesting birds. However, many locals, conservationists, and wildlife groups oppose lethal intervention and advocate for non-lethal methods like increased monitoring, guard animals, and coexistence strategies. The island's economy, heavily reliant on tourism, poses additional concerns about potential disruptions due to hunting tourism and negative publicity. However, the Ministries of the Environment, North Frisia, and Schleswig-Holstein have granted a shooting permit for the golden jackal in an attempt to minimize further harm to livestock and wildlife.
- The environmental protection community expresses concern about the potential impact of a golden jackal hunt on Sylt, as it could disturb the ecosystem and negatively affect ground-nesting birds.
- The ongoing discussions on Sylt regarding the golden jackal problem also involve the sports community, particularly the hunting associations, as they consider hunting tourism as a method for population control.
