Bonn Rhine Meadow Nutrias now also inhabit the Japanese Garden
Bonn · The Nutrias in the Bonn Rheinaue have now also populated the Japanese Garden and are causing great damage. Visitors complain about the aggressiveness of the beaver rats. The city draws attention to the feeding ban.
For Yvonne Schultheis, the Japanese Garden in the Rheinaue is the place where she recharges her batteries. For the past year, she has been undergoing outpatient treatment at the Johanniter Hospital, where she regularly has to undergo physically and emotionally stressful therapy. "Afterwards, I like to go to the Japanese Garden to cheer myself up and soak up positive energy," she reports.
But whether she will enjoy this cherished ritual in the future is uncertain. "After the experience early last week, I will probably avoid this beautiful parkland," she reports. "I can do without such an experience." For two apparently unpredictable and extremely aggressive nutrias had put her to flight that day.
Apparently, a pair of aggressive rodents has been living in the pond of the Japanese Garden for some time. "Not only I was hissed at, but also the Dutch tourists sitting next to me on the park bench.
It can't be right that you have to take shelter from these animals in the Rheinaue," says Yvonne Schultheis, annoyed. According to her own account, she reported her experience to two city employees who happened to be on site. "They told me that they too had already fled from the nutrias in the Japanese Garden," she says.
The city estimates that there are currently around 100 nutrias in the Rheinaue. "They only attack very rarely. Like other wild animals, they show aggressive behaviour when they or their young feel threatened. This behaviour could be triggered, for example, if dogs fall below a certain distance," explains Isabel Klotz from the press office when asked by the GA.
Begging nutrias
Due to unauthorised feeding, the animals have become very trusting of humans. This has gone so far that they climb up the trouser legs of visitors and beg for food, says Klotz. So far, however, the city is not aware of any attacks or injuries by nutrias. Nevertheless, you should neither feed them nor approach them to pet them, for example, as they are wild animals whose reaction is unpredictable.
A city-wide feeding ban has been in force in Bonn since 2019. Anyone who nevertheless feeds waterfowl or nutrias must expect a warning fine of 25 euros the first time small amounts of food are distributed. "The warnings or fines are higher if feeding is repeated or larger amounts of food are distributed," Klotz emphasises.
The Lower Nature Conservation Authority therefore urgently appeals to refrain from feeding. "It may be well-intentioned, but it does not make sense in terms of animal protection," emphasises the administration. The often one-sided food supply, such as bread, can also lead to vitamin deficiencies in the animals and thus to diseases. In addition, the feeding will increase the population and thus cause further damage to the ecosystem.
And the damage already caused so far is not insignificant. "The animals eat off tree bark, which can lead to the death of individual trees," says Klotz. In addition, underwater plants are on their menu, which play an important role for the stability of the sensitive ecosystem of the Rhine floodplain lakes as well as the purification of the water.
Banks damaged
In addition, shoreline areas have already been severely damaged in some places because nutrias dig their burrows deep into the soil. In addition, the rodents have decimated the pond mussel population, which is under species protection. The large pond mussel had settled in the Rheinauensee some time ago, but due to the overpopulation of nutrias it is now rarely seen. However, the city cannot put an exact figure on how much damage the animals cause.
As a now "widespread and established invasive species", nutrias are among the species for which "control or containment measures must be implemented" according to EU regulation. Kotz explains in response to a GA enquiry: "The State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection has published concrete measures for control. The city of Bonn must also take appropriate measures in the future. This is currently being dealt with by the Lower Nature Conservation Authority of the City of Bonn."