Masked Bandits Invade Germany

Sometimes revenge can really be sweet and to everyone repulsed by the fur trade, this is one of those times. The invader? Raccoons, known far and wide in the US as the original masked bandit.

Raccoons are not native to Germany. They got there when their pelts became popular around the 1900s and Germany wanted to cash in on the lucrative market. Raccoon fur farms cropped up around Germany and the creatures were imported by the tens of thousands. The animals seemed to thrive in a climate not so different from their home climate. In 1934, several pair of raccoons either escaped from a fur farm or were turned loose, details are not clear. Just how much of an impact a few pair of emancipated raccoons would have had is not clear, but during World War II, several fur farms were damaged by bombs and many raccoons escaped.

A few pair of loose raccoons running about the countryside is one thing, a few thousand pair is a whole different adventure. The raccoons made themselves at home. People reacted in various ways. Many people liked these cute animals and even fed them and made friends. Some folks were more indifferent and simply tightened their trash bin lids down tighter and tried to ignore the masked marauders.

The raccoons thrived in Germany and began having families. Being omnivores, the raccoons found food easily. Anyone who has had an encounter with these creatures, knows full well just how clever and resourceful they can be and the German raccoons were no exception. They quickly spread throughout the countryside, suburban and even urban areas.

These days, raccoons are about as common in Germany as they are here, and like here, they have worn out their welcome with many people as well. By nature, raccoons are bold, they'll knock your garbage bin over right in front of you and help themselves. They will even visit houses, finding entrance in cat and dog flaps. And, like here, they have few natural enemies.

There is a down side to the raccoons though, that extends far beyond garbage bins getting knocked over. Not being native to the country, evolution hasn't carved a role for them yet in the German circle of life.

Evolution tries to be very precise. Every living thing has a place in the food chain. Problems arise when we move an animal to a different area and turn it loose. Australia has been experiencing this problem for a long time. When settlers came to Australia, they introduced a number of animals into the continent's ecosystem. Camels, horses, rabbits, goats, pigs and foxes are some of the non-native animals that have become a serious pest problem for Australia.

What often happens with non-native species is that because they have no natural enemies, they have the advantage over native species. For instance, a number of species of kangaroo and wallaby are now on the endangered list because their natural habitat has been taken over by pigs and goats.

It's too early to tell yet what long term problems with the German ecosystem will arise because of the raccoons. For now, they've just become a nuisance for humans but there are a number of studies underway to project the long term effects on the local ecosystem.

We in the US are not innocent of introducing non-native species either. Horses were not native to this country, and a number of song sparrows were introduced because we liked their songs. The sparrows have pushed out several native species of birds. Today there are strict regulations about bringing non-native animals into the country, but it is hard to enforce. Sometimes exotic animals bought as pets are turned loose. Many times they cannot survive in a different environment, but sometimes they do. How far will the raccoons go? Hard to say, but it already has the attention of surrounding countries!

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