Overview

• The agriculture ministry says nutria kills rose from 392 in 2013/14 to 2,556 in 2023/24, indicating a widening presence across the state.
• The current hunting window runs from September 1 to February 28, and officials are examining an extension to limit spread and prevent infrastructure and crop damage.
• BUND reports dense concentrations where people feed the animals at city waters, with documented damage along Frankfurt’s Nidda.
• The ministry has registered only isolated farm losses so far, and the Hessian farmers’ association does not view nutrias as a serious agricultural problem at present.
• Other states such as Lower Saxony report significant impacts, while beavers currently cause greater flooding-related difficulties for agriculture in Hesse.