Species protection

This distinguishes species protection from animal welfare, in which the individual animal is protected against torture or inappropriate animal husbandry for its own sake and because of its capacity for suffering. Compliance with animal welfare regulations is the responsibility of theVeterinary office in the city administration and not the lower nature conservation authority.

Species protection or species aid programs aim to protect or promote individual endangered species. Species conservation is the part of nature conservation that deals with the preservation of genetic diversity within species or across species, the protection of populations of individual species or the protection, maintenance and development of entire habitats (biotopes) for certain species. It is also referred to as the conservation of genetic diversity, population and habitat protection. Species conservation is therefore generally also biotope conservation, not least because the species to be protected is a necessary component or an important indicator of the natural characteristics of the habitat. Conversely, the destruction of the habitat also results in the disappearance of the species that depend on it (species extinction). We make a rough distinction between the protection of native species and the so-called controlling (international) protection of species.

Native species protection

Species protection is an important aspect of nature conservation and landscape management. Most native animal and plant species as well as their habitats and refuges are protected under species protection legislation. Specially protected animals may not be caught or killed, and their nests, eggs or homes may not be destroyed or disturbed. Measures that lead to the impairment of animals and plants require the express approval of the Lower Nature Conservation Authority. This applies, for example, to the removal of hornets' or swallows' nests.

Species protection in dealing with building measures

When interfering with the roof space and the eaves area, it should be noted that particularly protected animal species such as the swift or strictly protected bats may be affected. These protected species often use damaged areas, e.g. broken roof boxes, crumbled stone ledges or cracks in walls, as breeding sites or entry points into the roof space. Renovation work threatens the loss of these habitats and building owners have a particular responsibility to comply with species protection regulations.

The demolition of buildings can result in the direct loss of breeding and resting sites of protected species. If protected species are present, demolition must be carried out outside the breeding or resting period in order to avoid harming or killing the animals. If necessary, a suitable replacement must be created. An exemption from the prohibitions under species protection law can only be granted on application in the event of an "unreasonable burden" and, if necessary, subject to conditions that take into account the interests of nature conservation and landscape management in other ways.

Controlling species protection

Weltweit ist ein Rückgang der biologischen Vielfalt zu beobachten, der sich insbesondere im Aussterben und Verlust von Arten und ihren örtlichen Populationen abzeichnet. Dieser Artenschwund ist auf zahlreiche Faktoren zurückzuführen. Um dieser Entwicklung entgegenzutreten, sind Maßnahmen auf regionaler, staatlicher und internationaler Ebene erforderlich, die den unterschiedlichen Gefährdungsursachen Rechnung tragen. Regelungen richten sich sowohl gegen direkte Gefahren, wie beispielsweise den kommerziellen Handel mit wildlebenden Tieren und Pflanzen, wie auch gegen indirekte Gefahren, z.B. durch die Vernichtung von Tropenwäldern durch Rodung und wirtschaftliche Ausbeutung.
The illegal trade in exotic animal and plant species is a lucrative business, but it also has serious consequences for nature. The uncontrolled removal of protected animals and plants from the wild, especially in developing and emerging countries, threatens populations and sometimes the existence of the entire species. Quite a few are on the verge of extinction. The reduction or even disappearance of species leads to the disruption of the natural balance of sensitive ecosystems. This often has serious consequences for the people living there. It is therefore important to combat illegal trade as a driver of extinction. Since May 2008, the Lower Nature Conservation Authority in the Environment Department of Gera City Council has also been responsible for international, so-called controlling species protection.

Dealing with invasive species

On January 1, 2015, the EU regulation on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species for the protection of biodiversity came into force. At the heart of this regulation is a list of non-native animal and plant species of Europe-wide importance that, for example, compete for habitat and food with native species or displace them, transmit diseases or cause damage to human health or our economy.

This so-called Union list has already been supplemented for the first time and currently includes 49 animal and plant species.

The specific implementation of this EU regulation is about

• the prohibition of the keeping, breeding and trade of these species
• and their release into the wild
• the reporting of early detections and the implementation of preventive measures for species that are not yet established
• the management of species that are already widespread, depending on the cost-benefit ratio
• providing comprehensive information to the public

For animal species that are subject to hunting or fishing rights, there is also a joint obligation to act for the responsible hunting and fishing authorities and the respective authorized users (hunters, angling and fishing associations). For animals and plants that are often kept or planted as ornamental species in aquariums, terrariums, foil ponds or gardens, every citizen bears responsibility alongside specialist stores and hobby breeders.

Since August 3, 2017, the trade, possession, keeping and propagation of animal and plant species on the 1st Union list has been prohibited without a corresponding exemption permit from the Lower Nature Conservation Authority. This ban also applies to hobby keeping in aquariums, terrariums, garden ponds and for planting in the garden. There is an exception for pets that were already owned before being included in the Union list and are kept in an escape-proof manner. The following invasive animal and plant species are affected:

Asian hornet, Chinese mitten crab, Cameo crayfish, Northern crayfish, Signal crayfish, American red swamp crayfish, Marbled crayfish, Amurgundy crayfish, Blue-banded crayfish, American bullfrog, Lettered turtle, Glossy crow, Black-headed duck, Sacred ibis, Pallas's squirrel, Lesser mongoose, Pygmy muntjac, Nutria, South American coati, Raccoon, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, striped chipmunk, crossbush, green hair vixen, thick-stemmed water hyacinth, Persian hogweed, Sosnowsky's hogweed, large water pennywort, curly African waterweed, large-flowered hayweed, flooding hayweed, yellow false calla, Brazilian centaury, Santa Maria prairie dock, knotweed, kudzu

So-called management and action sheets for invasive species that are already widespread in Germany are compiled by the Länderarbeitsgemeinschaft Naturschutz. They contain the existing knowledge about the respective species, their distribution and spread paths and propose management measures to be defined for control and possibly containment, which in turn are to be specified by the individual federal states. For invasive species that are not yet established, the appearance of individuals of these species must be reported immediately to the lower nature conservation authority, which will then initiate appropriate immediate measures to remove the individuals from the wild.

More comprehensive information on the invasive species concerned and how to deal with them can be found on the website of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the Thuringian State Institute for Environment and Geology (TLUG).