Germany's wildlife sites focus on environmental education and raccoon control

A delegation of the CDU district parliamentary group visited the historic Wildpark Tiergarten Weilburg in Limburg-Weilburg. The group toured the 100‑hectare park, which hosts 20 European animal species and attracted about 115,000 visitors last year. Leaders of the park – Dr. Hendrik Horn of the Weilburg Forest Office, park manager Jürgen Stroh and staff member Andreas Schwan – discussed the role of forest pedagogy and announced recent projects such as a new climbing playground, a large hexagonal swing and plans for a forest‑and‑school farm with teaching rooms.

In the nearby community of Herzkamp, a village meeting addressed the growing problem of invasive raccoons. Speakers Boris Kostka, a zoo animal keeper and head of the local hunting community, and Ingo Hoffmann explained the impact of raccoons on gardens and waterways, quoting Kostka: “Der Waschbär räumt alles leer.” The discussion highlighted the community’s efforts to manage the species, building on a 2025 Biotophege‑Preis award for effective wildlife stewardship.