Loose dogs threaten birdlife at North Zealand nature reserve

Staff at the Rungstedlund bird reserve in North Zealand see loose dogs there every day despite clear signs prohibiting them, according to DR. Rungstedlund also houses Karen Blixen’s former home.

Biologist and nature educator Anne-Mette Høeg Andersen said the birds see the dogs as predators.

“When there are loose dogs, the birds become more stressed. They may flee the area, or lack the energy to breed or find food for their young,” she said.

The staff’s efforts to enforce the rules are not always well received.

“They become offended and angry, and sometimes we are scolded. We also see people put their dogs on a lead, only to take it off again shortly afterwards when they can no longer see us,” Høeg Andersen said.

Local resident Frederikke Langkjær recently visited the reserve with her daughter, Frida, and their dog, Tulle. Having forgotten the lead, they used a pair of glittery tights as a temporary solution.

Langkjær said dog owners had a responsibility to control their animals and protect the birds. She prefers walking Tulle without a lead, however, and said she would leave the dog at home the next time she visited the bird reserve.

The issue is not limited to Rungstedlund. Stella Blichfeldt, a nature guide with the Danish Nature Agency, said staff regularly encountered dog owners who had decided to let their dogs run free.

“Even the scent trail of a dog can be stressful for wildlife, so letting your dog run loose affects wild fauna,” she said.

Dogs are allowed to run without leads in some places, including designated dog forests. These can be found on udinaturen.dk.