Overview
- The German Hunting Association reported at the Bundesjägertag in Suhl that 131,157 nutrias were killed in the 2024/25 hunting year, roughly 14,500 more than the previous season.
- Removals are concentrated in northern states with about 54,000 animals taken in Niedersachsen and more than 41,000 in Nordrhein‑Westfalen while Baden‑Württemberg recorded a slight drop to 4,765.
- The reported total marks a long‑term surge in control effort, about a 1,700 percent increase in kills compared with roughly twenty years ago, reflecting the species’ spread across many hunting districts.
- Authorities and hunters justify the intensified culls because nutrias destroy reed belts, harm birds, fish and amphibians and can undermine dike banks, creating risks for flood protection.
- The rise in removals could push further coordinated management measures, increased monitoring of dikes and habitats, and ongoing pressure on local hunting units to limit the species’ impact on ecosystems and infrastructure.