Thank God for that.
Posted on 10/27/2005 12:12:26 PM PDT by LibWhacker
Thousands of marauding racoons, descendents of animals released by Hermann Goering, have overrun vineyards in central Germany.
The nocturnal mammals descended on vineyards in the Brandenburg region, west of Berlin, ruining the harvest. Ripening grapes are a favourite snack of the stripy-tailed rodent.
'Raccoons wiped out almost the entire harvest in a matter of days,' winemaker Werner Kothe told Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 'We have 540 vines and they have been stripped bare by these animals.'
The raccoon problem is well known in the area and although some residents take them on as pets, many consider the imported species pests.
Local authorities have now authorised a raccoon cull. Last year, a similar cull killed 3,471. There are an estimated 1m racoons in central Germany.
The animals were introduced by Nazi air force chief Hermann Goering in 1934 to 'enrich' Germany's fauna. With no natural predators their numbers have exploded.
The main winegrowing regions in west Germany – including the Mosel, Rheingau, Saar and Pfalz areas – are believed to be unaffected.
Perhaps we could interest the Germans in some good coon-hounds and shotguns?
In another frightening development, officals have discovered that the raccoons have a fairly advanced rocket program as well.
You only have to kill one of them. The rest will usually move on in search of safer foraging.
The mere mention of guns will cause mass hysteria in Germany.
Just put in more roads, that'll kill 'em off.
Nazi raccoons?
Weinstocknacht?
Guess they did not close the gate.
Ach du leiber!
I wonder if Goering was a drug addict in 1934 or did he start abusing morphine later.
Release the hounds......
They have become rather adept at getting around using the storm sewers where I live.
Lol, I think the press is funny. Whenever something bad happens they try their darndest to tie it in to Nazis and/or Republicans, somehow, someway. :-)
But in this case, the tie is VERY fitting.
I think he got started recovering from a wound in WWI.
Where's PETA when you need them?
Thank God for that.
Yes, it's fitting. And we can count on them not missing it. Like a puppy finding a bone in his box. Lol, I don't know, it just struck me as hilarious/ludicrous; they're so transparent. :-)
Heck they are just great big hassenfeffers (or rabit stew, whatever).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.