Giantwels in the Brombachsee: Danger for bathers and culinary hype!

Giantwels in the Brombachsee: Danger for bathers and culinary hype!

An incident that causes heated discussions in the region around the Brombachsee: A catfish over two meters long was recently shot in the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district after the animal had attacked and injured several bathers. The police were forced to take this drastic step, since despite a music festival, a complete surveillance and a blocking of the beach were not feasible. "There was an acute danger to the bathing ends," said a police spokesman. The fish weighed around 90 kilograms and was then served by two anglers and served in an inn, where the unusual animal was immediately brought by the local food authorities.

In the inn "Zum Goldenenen Lamm", the catfish was prepared and sold in 120 fillet portions that were offered for 22.50 euros. The landlord, Hans Nerreter, reported great demand and an income of 2700 euros from this unique business. Usually catfish are not on the menu, but Nerreter made an exception for this special case. "The meat was firm and tender, but I had to cut some parts away due to the high fat content," says the landlord.

controversy about killing the catfish

animal welfare organizations critically commented on the police's approach. Peta announced that he would submit a criminal complaint against the officials and described the killing as painful and unnecessary. The German Animal Welfare Association also condemned the decision as disproportionate and instead recommended a defense measure by delimiting the bank area.

Experts like the fish economist Christian Forster defended the police operation, as such a big catfish is hard to catch and the dangers for the bathers were obvious. "Welse are usually not aggressive, but the animal could have defended its nest," said police spokesman Michael Petzold. The event shows how important preventive measures and sensitive monitoring of wild animals are to protect people from dangers.

A look into the future

This situation raises questions about how wild animals should be dealt with in such environments. Incidents like this could affect public perception regarding the security of dealing with wild animals such as catfish or even wolves. Because while wolves are often perceived as dangerous in public, the risk of an attack, although it should not be neglected, is relatively low. A factual debate about the behavior of the animals and the correct way of dealing with their proximity to people is urgently necessary. People's concerns and fears must be taken seriously, as is also required by various associations.

The events around the Brombachsee will continue to heat the discussion about dealing with wild animals in our region. It remains to be seen whether people's behavior will change in relation to wild animals and what teachings are drawn from this incident.

fru. Br.de brings more information about the incident ...
ifaw.org informs about the behavior of wild animals ...