From Hildburg Bruns
Some immigrated, others escaped or were abandoned. Berlin is the capital of unloved animals!
In the current year alone, 681 cats have been caught – and 270 dogs. Kitties are particularly common in Marzahn-Hellersdorf (90) and Lichtenberg (70). They are usually taken to the animal shelter by the police to the official collection point.
In contrast, many immigrants (so-called neozoans) have settled permanently in Berlin: for example the letter-eared turtle, which already occurs in 25 bodies of water. Or muskrats and raccoons that roam the entire city.
The letter-eared turtle from North America lives in 25 Berlin waters and is now banned throughout the EU Photo: dpa picture alliance
The muskrat (in Germany since 1914) occurs extensively in Berlin. Their cave passages undermine dams Photo: picture alliance / blickwinkel/A. Hartl
The Environmental Senate sees the spread of the red swamp crayfish as absolutely problematic because it represents a serious threat to native amphibians.
The American swamp crayfish was first discovered in 2016 and is now crawling in 31 bodies of water – fishing hasn’t stopped it Photo: dpa picture alliance
The sources of such intruders? For example, transport via ballast water, tourism, and the release of fish that have grown too large from aquariums or garden ponds.
The new Asian hornet, which eats our honey bees, is particularly feared by beekeepers. At first only a few animals were caught by this intruder, but in the meantime the only Berlin nest in the Bavarian Quarter was apparently rendered harmless.
The Asian hornet, which has so far only been found sporadically in Berlin, has already conquered France and Spain Photo: dpa picture alliance
The official gazette also warns for the first time about the voracious black dwarf catfish – originally an American that should be eliminated if possible before it establishes itself in Berlin waters.
The Green MP June Tomiak (26) calls for cross-agency data collection on neozoans: “We should also increase awareness in order to counteract the intentional or unintentional introduction of alien species that are invasive or potentially invasive.”