Raccoons/Waschbär

Hermann Göring war nicht nur für das deutsche Jagdgesetz verantwortlich, er hat auch den Waschbär in Deutschland eingeführt:

bq. Waschbär (Procyon lotor)
Wurde durch Anweisung des Feldmarschall Göring zur Erweiterung und Bereicherung des jagdbaren Wildes 1929 in Hessen ausgewildert. Zusätzlich gelangten aus Farmen zahlreiche Vertreter in die freie Wildbahn.

The Independent on Sunday reports on the raccoon, which was introduced into Germany by Goering (the German article linked above says 1929):

bq. It was in 1934 that the Luftwaffe chief came up with the idea of releasing a pair of raccoons into the wild, claiming he wanted to spice up the Third Reich’s flora and fauna. Clearly, he was unaware of the havoc his decision would wreak almost three-quarters of a century later. …

bq. “It’s the same density as you would find in the urban raccoon’s natural habitat, in North American cities like Toronto or Washington,” Dr Hohmann said. He estimates that at least half of Kassel’s residents regularly encounter the creatures. Curious and unafraid of humans, they rifle through rubbish bins and sneak into houses for food.

bq. “Their usual trick is to climb through cat flaps and set up home in a loft,” Dr Hohmann said. “Often people will return from holiday to find they have a new lodger.”

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