Ravensburg allows shooting of seeds: harvest in danger!

Ravensburg allows shooting of seeds: harvest in danger!

In the district of Ravensburg, it is now allowed until the end of July 2025 to shoot seeds in order to reduce agricultural damage. This emerges from a decision by the city administration that was made after an increase in problems with growing crow populations. Previous measures, such as the use of scarecrows, bright apparatus and drones, have only shown limited successes, so that the shooting is now considered a necessary measure to protect the harvest. Farmers report considerable damage caused by the eating of freshly sown seeds and damaging young plants, which ultimately leads to harvest losses. Only those entitled to hunting are allowed to kill crows in defined areas.

The measure is considered controlled and necessary. It is intended to reconcile the ecological balance and agricultural interests, but are not viewed as a long -term solution. According to the information, the shooting of individual animals has no significant impact on the stable seed crow population in Germany. Nevertheless, the step is part of a more comprehensive plan to regulate the crow population to limit acute damage and take place under certain conditions and requirements.

scope of the decision and its motivation

The city of Ravensburg has given the corresponding permits to enable the seed crows. This decision was made because the farmers in the region complain about the difficulties that are caused by the growing crow population. The conversations about solutions have been persistent for years and the new approval is another attempt to solve the recurring conflict between nature conservation and agricultural interests.

The context of the bird populations

The bird protection expert Lars Lachmann emphasizes that the situation of the bird world is complex. While some species such as cranes record existing gain, many more frequent bird species are fighting for their survival. According to NABU, there was a loss of 12.7 million breeding breeding pairs between 1998 and 2009. Singing birds are particularly affected, which breed in agricultural landscapes, the decline of which is favored by inadequate habitats and food offers for young birds. The NABU also reports that new agricultural practices for intensification and the use of pesticides are a main cause of the decline.

State reports on bird population show an encouraging tendency in which more bird species increase than lose weight. But the loss of urgently needed habitats and the rising wildlife hunting considerably burden many species. The current decision is based on a qualitative assessment of the ecological situation and is implemented by the responsible authorities with the hope of reducing agricultural damage, while at the same time long -term nature conservation is not lost.