10 Fun Facts About German Animals

Guten Tag! Today, we take a tour around a country full of culture, environmentalism and fairy tales - Germany.  We’ll take a stroll through the forest, go caving, fish in Lake Ammer, and climb the Alps to find 10 fun facts about German animals.

10 Fun Facts About German Animals

Meet the Cave Animal of the Year, 2023

The fire salamander is found throughout Germany in damp caves and mine shafts. Its bright colours make it easy to identify and act as a warning to predators. This species secretes a potent toxin that causes muscle convulsions, hypertension, and hyperventilation in vertebrates.

Ammersee Ruffe is an endemic bioindicator

Found only in Lake Ammer,  Bavaria, the Ammersee Ruffe acts as a bioindicator due to its sensitivity to environmental change, helping researchers assess freshwater habitat health. Learn more about this fantastic species. 

10 bearded vultures have been released to Berchtesgaden National Park.

Due to misconceptions, bearded vultures were persecuted to local extinction in the Eastern Alps over a century ago. Over the last 5 years,  Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern (LBV), Berchtesgaden National Park and Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF) have collaborated to release a pair of birds annually in the hope to reestablish a breeding population. Found out more about Luisa and Generl, 2025’s pair. 

Home to hamsters that weigh the same as a loaf of bread

The European field hamster weighs up to 600 grams. They are one of the most endangered mammals in Germany and are already extinct in some areas due to farming practices.

Dice snakes play dead to avoid predators.

While some animals play dead by lying down and staying still, the dice snake takes it one step further. They cover themselves in musk and feces and fill their mouth with blood to mislead their pursuer. 

2/3 of spruce trees in the Harz mountains have been eaten by bark beetles

Climate change has caused spruce trees to become drier making them more susceptible to bark beetles. Six times more trees are being damaged by the pest in the last two years. 

2 million raccoons call Germany home

Introduced in the 1930’s for their fur, invasive raccoons now run free across Germany with high numbers in Hesse and Brandenburg. Their existence is diverse with many locals befriending individuals while others support culls due to the damage they can cause to ecosystems and property. 

A new species of dinosaur was identified in 2025 

Originally found in fossil beds in Holzmaden in 1978, Plesionectes longicollum was an ancient marine reptile. In 2025, further studies took place, which discovered its features were different, allowing it to be recognised as a unique species. Read more. 

Cockchafer was a German delicacy

Cockchafer, AKA the may bug, was a huge pest to crops. Locals collected them to help reduce the population, and cockchafer soup was born. It’s said to have a crabby flavour. 

Chamois can climb at 45° angles

Chamois are wild goats found throughout the Bavarian Alps, Vosges Mountains in the Black Forest, and Swabian Mountains. They are nature's mountaineers who have adapted to survive in harsh environments.

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