Mysterious golden jackal on Sylt: Deadly trail among sheep!

Mysterious golden jackal on Sylt: Deadly trail among sheep!

On Sylt, a golden jackal has been causing a stir among farmers and animal rights activists since May 19, 2025. Dozens of lambs and sheep have fallen victim to the animal, and the worrying toll adds up to over 90 dead animals, mostly near List. Thomas Diedrichsen, the deputy head of the conservancy on the island, reports that the jackal has not been seen recently, which makes the situation even more unclear. According to welt.de, 76 livestock cracking incidents were recorded between May 19 and May 21, and genetic samples have confirmed that the golden jackal is responsible for the attacks.

In order to give the animals a break, the State Office for the Environment in Schleswig-Holstein secured an exemption from species protection law that makes it possible to shoot the golden jackal. However, this measure is controversial and raises legal questions. At the end of last week, the administrative court in Schleswig decided that the shooting could not be carried out for the time being. An urgent application for approval will be considered this week as concerns about vulnerable livestock populations continue. Farmers hope for clarity soon.

The government measures and their meaning

With the general decree on hunting golden jackals that came into force today, the environmental authority is taking further measures. This exemption is valid until July 31, 2025 and requires that the shooting be reported to the State Office for the Environment within one hour. Golden jackals that have been taken must be handed over to the authorities immediately. These challenges illustrate the stricter approach to dealing with the new species, which originally spread to our latitudes from southeastern Europe. The first detection of a golden jackal in Schleswig-Holstein took place in the Dithmarschen district in 2017, which has since made monitoring and management of this species necessary as the number of documented cases of cracking is constantly increasing.

The ongoing cracks in sheep and lambs raise questions: Is the golden jackal still on Sylt, or has it already left the island? A spokeswoman for the ministry rules out leaving as unlikely. This uncertainty is viewed with suspicion by farmers because the golden jackal is a protected species and ultimately has only a limited presence in the existing ecosystem.

The golden jackal in Germany

According to WWF.de, the golden jackal has experienced a remarkable spread in Germany since it was first recorded in Schleswig-Holstein in 2017. A total of eight documentations of golden jackals have been recorded in this state, including six images taken from camera traps and two reports of cracking. This development requires a responsible approach to the new community of nature and agriculture.

The situation on Sylt remains tense and the fate of the golden jackal could lie in the hands of the judiciary. The coming days are likely to be decisive in determining whether the endangered golden jackal will soon be added to the list of hunted animals in Schleswig-Holstein. Farmers and animal rights activists can look forward to the court decisions, while the challenges of violent incidents against farm animals remain unresolved.