Overview
- The Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Environment granted an exemption culling permit on June 5 for the golden jackal linked to the deaths of 76 lambs on Sylt, with the order taking effect at midnight.
- Nature conservation associations including NABU approved the permit, which requires reporting each kill and handover of the animal to authorities and remains valid through July 31.
- Authorities confirmed the jackal’s responsibility through genetic analysis after it preyed on sheep between May 19 and 21, an attack considered highly atypical for the species.
- Golden jackals enjoy strict protection in Germany and may only be culled under exceptional conditions when alternative measures fail to prevent severe agricultural damage.
- Since their first confirmed sighting in Germany in 2017, golden jackals have steadily expanded across the country, fueling debate over balancing species conservation with livestock protection.