Animalistic

The most important event for the spread of raccoons in Europe was the release of two pairs of raccoons at Lake Edersee in 1934.

In February 1934, fur breeder Rolf Haag from Ippinghausen offered the Vöhl Forestry Office two pairs of raccoons to release into the forests around Lake Edersee. The Great Depression had made fur farming unprofitable, and the idea was to use the no longer needed animals to "enrich the fauna."

There were opposing voices from renowned scientists who warned against introducing these animals here. The forester released the four raccoons into an old oak stand on the southern edge of Lake Edersee on April 12, 1934, even before he received permission from the Prussian State Hunting Office two weeks later.

There had apparently been a few previous attempts at reintroduction, but this one was the only successful one. The area around Lake Edersee provided an almost optimal habitat for the released raccoons, allowing for rapid and lasting further spread from this center.

The raccoon found ideal living conditions here with bodies of water, tree hollows and a richly laid table with forest and cultivated fruits, small mammals and birds.

They like the area around Lake Edersee because nowhere else in Germany are there as many raccoons as here!

However you see it, as an ideally adapted wild animal or an unwanted newcomer, as a cute fur-wearer or a pest…

The European wildcat is a solitary animal. It is barely larger than an ordinary domestic cat, but has longer fur and therefore usually appears somewhat more robust. The most important distinguishing feature between wildcats and wild-colored domestic cats is their thicker tail. This tail has fewer rings than that of a domestic cat and ends noticeably bluntly.

However, encountering a wildcat in the wild is very rare. They are nocturnal, very shy, and strictly avoid proximity to humans. They prefer to live in structurally rich deciduous and mixed forests with clearings and forest meadows, such as in the Kellerwald-Edersee and other low mountain regions in Germany.

During the day, wild cats sleep in tree hollows close to the ground or in hollow tree trunks, piles of brushwood, root hollows and in piles of wood that lie along forest paths.

At dusk, hunting begins. Wild cats feed primarily on small mammals, including all types of mice. Occasionally, however, they also eat lizards, frogs, large insects, or even birds.

Everyone knows them from legends and myths. Here in Waldecker Land There are 18 species of these silent and harmless insect killers. They are the only mammals in the world capable of active flight. They have extremely elongated fingers and legs, which are covered by a thin membrane.

They use an echolocation system to perceive their environment. They emit ultrasonic calls that are inaudible to humans. The resulting echo provides them with a soundscape of their surroundings. This is how they locate food and navigate in the dark.

Bats are insectivores; they feed on mosquitoes, moths, and beetles.

Winter is a time when bats lack food, so to survive, they enter a deep hibernation. Their quarters during this time should be frost-free and have high humidity. They can find all of these in places like former mines, rock caves, or old cellars.

In summer, they move to warm and dry summer quarters; these are usually on buildings, in attics or in cracks in walls; some also live in trees.

Im Waldecker Land For example, the Barbastelle bat, Bechstein's bat, Nathusius's bat, pond bat, greater mouse-eared bat and a few more live here.

The legs and beak of the black stork are bright red. Except for the white axillary feathers, belly, and breast, the entire plumage is black with a purple to green metallic sheen.

They are very shy and live reclusive lives. Their nests are called "eyries" and are found in the crowns of old trees. They primarily search for food near bodies of water, where they catch frogs and fish, among other things.

It prefers large, old and undisturbed deciduous and mixed forests, primarily in mountainous areas, but proximity to streams, rivers, ponds or moors is also important for foraging.

Black storks are migratory birds. In the fall, they fly to Africa to spend the winter.

The lynx is about the size of a German shepherd. Its appearance is characterized by its "brush ears" and "whiskers," as well as its spotted fur. It has excellent hearing and exceptionally good vision. However, its eyes are very sensitive to light, which is an advantage when hunting at dusk and at night.

Lynx are solitary animals and occupy large hunting grounds, depending on the number of prey animals. They are exclusively carnivores, preferring to hunt and eat deer. One deer is enough food for a lynx for up to a week. They kill their prey with a precise bite to the throat.

Did you know that the lynx's hearing is so good thanks to its whiskers? These whiskers transmit sound waves to its ears.

The eagle owl belongs to the owl family. Its wingspan is approximately 1,80 meters, and in the wild, they can live up to 25 years.

In Germany, the eagle owl prefers gravel pits, forests, and quarries. They adapt their behavior to their habitat. They have places where they pluck their prey, breeding grounds, and roosting sites where they overwinter.

During the day, eagle owls observe the hustle and bustle around them, looking for nests of pigeons, hedgehogs, rabbits, and rats. At dusk and dawn, they then go hunting and capture these animals.

The fire salamander is widespread across large parts of Central and Southern Europe – including here. The caudate amphibians, with their striking yellow and black markings, find such favorable conditions in the national park that they are almost universally distributed.

This is primarily due to the oxygen- and nutrient-rich streams that serve as breeding grounds for the larvae. The salamander also finds good living conditions in moist deciduous forests and scree-covered meadows.

Currently, however, the fire salamander is threatened by the skin fungus Bsal, which was probably introduced from Asia and is endangering native caudate species. Fire salamanders, in particular, are infected through their skin. Certain precautions must be taken here.