Overview

• The German Hunting Association has urged standardized, year-round hunting of Egyptian geese to replace varied state seasons that exclude Berlin and Hamburg.
• Researchers warn that increased culling triggers compensatory reproduction that may undermine efforts to reduce goose numbers sustainably.
• Municipalities and farmers report rising costs for droppings cleanup and crop damage as Egyptian goose populations expand across federal states.
• Cities have rolled out egg-puncturing programs and conservationists are piloting non-lethal measures—including wildflower meadows, dense hedges and temporary dog patrols—to deter geese in urban parks.
• A DJV survey finds roughly 80% of Germans back hunting for population control, but animal welfare groups and ornithologists question its long-term effectiveness and ethics.