German gamekeeper Tom Bender refills wildlife water troughs amid drought

Tom Bender, a 32‑year‑old civil engineer who serves as a voluntary gamekeeper in Lörzweiler, Rhineland‑Palatinate, spends his free time maintaining eight hidden wildlife water troughs in the dry summer of Rheinhessen. The troughs, situated among vineyards, hedgerows and field woods, provide essential drinking water for deer, foxes, birds and other species when natural sources are scarce. Bender and his team check the troughs three hours each week, refilling them with roughly ten litres each, enough to sustain the animals for about a week.

The effort is not remunerated; Bender pays for the game management licence and invests personal resources to protect the local ecosystem. Signage warns that the water points are for wildlife only, discouraging dogs from drinking. Cameras confirm regular use by roe deer, red‑breasted robins and many other animals, highlighting the importance of these artificial water sources in one of Germany’s driest regions.