Aggressive Wels attacks bathers - the police shoot father animals!

Aggressive Wels attacks bathers - the police shoot father animals!

Brombachsee, Deutschland - On Friday, June 20, 2025, there was a tragic incident at the Brombachsee in Middle Franconia when at least five bathers attacked over two meters long and around 90 kilograms. These were violated and suffered by the attacks that occurred in the course of only two hours. The water guard was forced to alert the police to block the bathing area and defuse the situation. The aggressiveness of the catfish was a considerable security risk for the bathers, which ultimately led to a drastic step: a police officer shot the fish with its service weapon.

After the incident, two anglers broke the dead catfish from the lake. The bathing area could be released again after the fish was rescued. Sea biologist and animal rights activist Robert Marc Lehmann expressed in a YouTube video that the catfish was hit, but still showed breathing movements an hour after the shot, which in question. This prompted the animal welfare organization PETA to file a criminal complaint and to mark the killing as illegal.

The cause of the attacks

The attacks by the catfish are interpreted as an instinctive protective reflex of a male in the breeding phase. Male catfish guarded their clutch after laying eggs in a period of three to five days, but also show increased defensive behavior when they feel threatened. Such aggressions in Welsen are nevertheless rare, since the European catfish is generally considered shy.

The incident also raises questions about behavior and danger from catfish. As shown in this case, you can show aggressive behavior, especially if you feel threatened or brood. It was pointed out that catfish can grow extremely large and that they live up to 70 years old, which makes dealing with these fish in the waters more and more important. In addition, the spread of catfish in German water is favored by climate change.

Comparison to other wildlife incidents

The incident at the Brombachsee is reminiscent of discussions about the security of dealing with wild animals. Similar to wolf attacks, the Objecto of a study by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), this incident emphasizes the need to identify and avoid potential dangers from wild animals. For wolf encounters, for example, it is recommended to avoid certain behaviors to minimize the risk of attacks. Wolves show tolerance near humans and sometimes associate them with food sources, which does not automatically lead to attacks.

The safety of people is the top priority for numerous associations, whereby the focus should be on preventive measures and the clarification of the population. In view of the severity of the incident at the Brombachsee, a factual handling of the topic about the danger of wild animals is required to protect both people and animals.