Nutria meat is conquering the menus of Schleswig-Holstein!

Nutria meat is conquering the menus of Schleswig-Holstein!

A very special dish is becoming increasingly popular in Schleswig-Holstein: the meat of the invasive nutria. The culinary discovery took off when caterer Anne Muus-Seyfferth from Ostholstein recently began offering the meat of this South American species. As an aromatic and tender meat that is usually served in the form of ragout, roasts and burgers, it is very popular with people, even if it is not yet a permanent feature on menus. According to mopo.de, nutria is described as mild, short-fiber and low in fat - similar to guinea fowl or pheasant.

The demand for nutria meat is increasing rapidly, as is the number of animals themselves. Local hunters have been supplying the catering company for around a year, and with great success. In the southern half of the Ostholstein district, around 1,000 nutrias are killed every year - a sharp increase compared to just a few specimens five years ago. This development is favored, among other things, by the possibility of hunting nutrias all year round since January 26, 2024.

The nutria is on the rise

But the nutria population has not only developed rapidly in Schleswig-Holstein - the situation has also changed throughout Germany. According to current reports based on data from over 23,000 hunting areas, 35 percent of participating areas report that nutrias occur there. This represents a doubling compared to 2015. The increase is particularly strong in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. While the situation in cities like Bremen and Hamburg can be described as dramatic, the presence of these animals remains a challenging problem for flood protection and species protection. The nutria undermines river banks and dikes and destroys reed belts, which are essential habitats for many species, reports jagdverband.de.

Particular attention is paid to the challenges associated with this invasive species. The nutria is not only on the list of alien invasive species in Europe, but also endangers the native fauna and flora. According to ljv-sh.de, the occurrences in Lower Saxony have increased 2.5-fold and in North Rhine-Westphalia 2-fold in recent years. This dramatic development has led the German Hunting Association (DJV) to demand the inclusion of the nutria in the Federal Hunting Act and to create a commitment to trap hunting.

The relevance of hunting statistics

A record of almost 117,500 nutrias were recorded for the 2023/24 hunting season. What is also fascinating is the way in which many of these animals were caught: 44 percent of the hunting statistics were caught with traps; in Bremen this figure is well over two thirds. In the Lower Rhine, nutria have destroyed more than 90 percent of the reeds, which has serious impacts on the ecosystems. To counteract this, there are projects such as “Living Reeds” that show possibilities for repopulation.

The next survey of the distribution of nutria in Schleswig-Holstein is due this year. With the upcoming surge in the hunt for nutrias, the question arises: Will the meat of this invasive species soon find its way into our restaurants? The omens are good, because the meat definitely has the potential to delight the palate and at the same time make a contribution to nature.