He is currently alive in Germany over 1.5 million shedsalthough they should not be here – for the first time these animals were brought to the continent in the 1930s from North America. It was assumed that they would be bred for fur that was used to sew coats, hats and jackets. In Nazi Germany, sheds were kept in captivity, but some individuals managed to escape from farms in Berlin during World War II, and others were released after some time.
The sheds reproduce very quickly, which is why they populated almost all of Europe: they currently live in 15 European Union countries – From Italy in the south to the Netherlands in the north and from Spain in the west to the Czech Republic in the East.
The animals quickly and well adapted to new conditions: among local animals they do not have competitors, so they calmly take food for them. The excessive spread of this species of mammals meant that the sheds became the problem of the continent. In 2016, they were officially recognized as an invasive species in Europe, i.e. harmful to the local fauna.
The problem of spreading partly stopped the shooting of animals: hunting for sheds in Europe is officially allowed. In Germany alone, a rapid increase in shooting has been observed in the last 20 years: if about 21,000 were registered in the 2004–2005 hunting season. killed individuals, until 2024–2025 this number increased 11 times, reaching 239 thousand.
City of sheds
In one of the municipalities of Brandenburg, EUR 25 (106 PLN) is paid for each killed shed in the form of a bonus. Local authorities in Mecklenburg-Pomerania encourage people to catch raccoons with traps and compensate for 50 euros (PLN 212) for the purchase of binders. This already brings results: over the past year, 22,000 were killed in this region. sheds, i.e. by 2,000 more than the average of the last five years.
Especially a lot of sheds occur in the German city of Kassel: according to unconfirmed data, he lives here approx. 30,000 individualsi.e. 100 for every 100 ha – 25 times more than in any other region, thanks to which the city gained the nickname of the “capital of raccoons”. For comparison: just over 200,000 live here. people.
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There are so many sheds in Kassel that they have become unofficial symbol of the city: Their faces decorate the souvenirs of the local university and city gifts, and the local male team Lacrosse is called “sheds from Kassel”.
– We are a city of sheds. They are everywhere. They leave after dark – says Lars, a resident of Kassel.
Sheds from Kassel They are less and less afraid of people. There are already known cases when animals secretly attacked residents and bite them when they rested in their gardens. Once upon a time, the female shed took the attic of a local inhabitant and raised four young people there. It happened that the animals got to the theater into the Kassel or Museum of Technology and arranged quarrels there. They often cause damage to tens of thousands of euros.
Neighbors
The sheds settled in Kassel almost 100 years ago: on April 12, 1934, four individuals who previously lived on a fur farm near the city were released near Edersee Lake. Among them were also pregnant females. This is how the first “native” sheds appeared in Kassel, although at first they were rather “illegal”: Berlin authorities allowed the release of sheds until April 28, but the local authorities of Kassel decided not to wait for permission in advance and did it two weeks earlier.
– They were here in my childhood, but not in such quantities. They have become a symbol for us, a kind of hallmark. Sometimes we are even proud of them. But at the same time they do huge damage – recalls Lars.
Residents try to live in harmony with furry neighbors. The animals adapted to the urban environment so well that they learned to open the door and jump through fences. It is for this reason that the city garbage bins in Kassel are closed with special castles, and the downy pipes are wrapped in smooth metal so that curious animals cannot be grasped.
Experts advise to fence plots with an electric fence and always collect fruit that fell to the ground so that the sheds do not sense the prey. According to the forester, Dagmar Loffler with individuals should be progressed harshly and not gently, otherwise they will begin to be bold.
However, even in Kassel, not everyone is delighted with sheds. In the hunting season 2022–2023 over 30,000 were killed in the region. individuals – it was Hesse who became the first region of Germany in which the hunt was allowed to hunt. The German Association of Nature and Biological Diversity, however, has doubts about the effectiveness of such means: The sheds reproduce too quickly, which means that the population losses are quickly supplemented.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
