Leipzig fights for wildlife protection: What the city council is planning!

Leipzig fights for wildlife protection: What the city council is planning!

On May 21, 2025, the Leipzig City Council decided to increase its commitment to protecting wild animals. This decision came at a time when the threat to wildlife from human activities is steadily increasing. In a detailed discussion, Green Party city councilor Anne Vollerthun reported on the challenges of wild bird aid and presented alarming statistics about the birds injured every day in Leipzig. The causes of these injuries are varied and range from the destruction of their habitats to dangers from cars and glass surfaces. Building renovations also contribute to the endangerment of animals. The support of cities and communities in wildlife aid is crucial.

SPD city councilor Andreas Geisler addressed the issue of fatal traffic accidents that affect wild animals such as deer, foxes and badgers. In this context, he outlined the urgency of taking measures that are necessary to ensure safe coexistence between humans and animals. Even though the application for financial support of the wildlife park with 60,000 euros annually was rejected, an amendment from the SPD parliamentary group to support this park and a motion from the Greens to organize a round table to develop a concept for dealing with wild animals on the city website were approved with a narrow majority.

Wild animals in Leipzig: challenges and initiatives

The discussion about the protection of wild animals in urban areas is supplemented by other initiatives such as those of the NABU Regional Association Leipzig e.V. This provides information about the different wild animals that live in urban areas. While animals such as birds, squirrels and amphibians can be observed during the day, foxes, hedgehogs and martens are mostly active at night. Many species have adapted to human proximity, but they are increasingly finding themselves in distress. NABU has found that the number of emergencies affecting wild animals is constantly increasing, which is often due to human interference in their habitats. In order to meet the high number of requests to support wildlife, monthly wildlife advice will be offered from 2025.

This wildlife consultation takes place every second Wednesday of the month from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the NABU nature conservation station. The first consultation is scheduled for January 8, 2025. NABU often receives questions on topics such as helping hedgehogs, feeding ducks and the correct behavior when dealing with wild animals such as deer or foxes.

The global context and the need for action

The problem of wildlife protection is not just a local challenge, but is evident worldwide. According to that USDA Forest Service Biodiversity is decreasing globally, mainly due to human activities such as urbanization and climate change. Habitat loss leads to a decline in biodiversity, threatening both flora and fauna. It is crucial to promote native habitats in cities to combat biodiversity loss and support healthy plant and animal populations.

The success of urban nature conservation measures depends heavily on urban planning decisions. Measures such as the choice of plant species and the maintenance of green spaces play a crucial role. Developing healthy habitats not only supports wildlife, but also improves the quality of life for people in these cities.

The city of Leipzig's initiatives, combined with NABU's efforts, show that there is an active need to provide wildlife with more protection and support to promote sustainable coexistence.