In Echternach alone, around 150 Egyptian geese were counted around the local lake. It is thought that there are up to 45 breeding pairs in the country, a number that is still growing.
Farmers are struggling to cope with the increasing number of the invasive Egyptian geese.
Egyptian geese can eat through entire fields or trample crops. Their excrement can also pose serious sanitary issues, for instance in swimming pools. As an invasive species, Egyptian geese are not subject to any special protection, meaning that no reimbursement can be paid when they cause damage.
Additionally, the Environment Agency has received several reports of aggressive encounters with the geese.
In her response to a parliamentary question by MP Martine Hansen from the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV), Minister for the Environment Joëlle Welfring stated that the authorities are currently considering updating the action plan sooner than planned. The next revision was originally scheduled for 2025.
