Which exotic animals are living in Germany?
Parakeets in large cities, flamingos in the Münsterland region and golden jackals in Brandenburg: the reasons these animals are now living in Germany.
Luca Rehse-Knauf Deer, wild boars or wolfs may come to mind when thinking about Germany’s wildlife. However, our local animal species also include brightly green parakeets, pink flamingos and golden jackals nowadays. How did they come to Germany and why do they live here?
Rose-ringed parakeets: colourful city dwellers
Rose-ringed parakeets are originally at home in African and Asian savannahs and mountain forests. However, the brightly green parakeets have long been a familiar sight in many large German cities. The German branch of the Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) estimates that up to 7,500 breeding pairs could live here. The birds are believed to have originally come to Europe as pets that escaped or were abandoned. Rose-ringed parakeets breeding in Germany were first observed in Cologne in 1969.
Flamingos: pink colony
Most people associate flamingos with salt lakes in Africa or wetlands in Southern Europe, rather than with Germany. However, the pink water birds have been breeding in the Zwillbrocker Venn nature reserve in the Münsterland region near the Dutch border since the 1980s. The colony is considered the world’s northernmost breeding flamingo colony. The mating and breeding season in spring is the best time to see the more than 50 birds. Experts believe that the first few flamingos escaped or were released by private individuals.
Golden jackals: stealthy roamers
Larger than a fox, smaller than a wolf and extremely shy: golden jackals are a very rare sight in Germany. The animals are originally from India and South-East Europe. From here, the adaptable species was able to expand its habitat all the way to Central Europe. The first verified sighting of a golden jackal in Germany was reported in Brandenburg in 1997. Experts believe that a few dozen golden jackals are currently living in Germany, with a rising trend. Milder winters and suitable habitats have been encouraging the species’ spread.
It also happens occasionally that exotic animals are spotted in Germany that do not live here permanently. In July 2026, for example, a young pelican landed in a wildlife park in Greifswald. Experts expect that due to climate change and milder winters, more animal species could settle permanently in Germany in the future.
