Beer drinking racoons cause havoc in Germany
In Germany, raccoons with a penchant for beer are reportedly causing substantial financial damage. The Telegraph has highlighted instances where homeowners incurred damages up to £8,600 due to these critters raiding kitchens, consuming food and alcohol.
Local German news outlets have detailed how these beer-guzzling escapades are accompanied by raccoons feasting on pets and fish, and causing additional destruction.
Berthold Langenhorst, affiliated with the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), remarked, “Raccoons are witty and astute… with a taste for beer.” He recalled witnessing these animals deliberately tipping over beer bottles lakeside to access the alcoholic contents.
This isn’t an isolated incident. An intoxicated raccoon was spotted at Erfurt’s Christmas market a few years back.
Raccoons made their debut in Germany during the Weimar Republic era. However, some suggest that Nazis first released them into the wild. Current estimates suggest that Berlin alone houses approximately 1,000 raccoons, often spotted in community gardens and educational institutions.
In an attempt to control the burgeoning population, which escalated from a mere 10,000 two decades ago, the National Hunting Association (DJV) culled 200,000 raccoons in 2022.
Frederik Thoelen from the Belgian conservation organization, Natuurhulpcentrum, informed The Times, “A decade ago, reported sightings were sporadic, typically involving escapee pet raccoons. Presently, the increased sightings predominantly involve raccoons born in the wild.”
