London-Based German Billionaire To Lose Austrian Hunting Estate For Not Killing Wild Deer

A London-based German billionaire is set to lose his Austrian hunting lodge in Tirol because he does not hunt, causing the deer population to expand out of control.

Austrian media reported that because the billionaire Henkel family have not shot enough game in the hunting area in the Kaisertal into Tirol. The rapidly growing deer population has devastated local flora by eating plants and small trees. As a result, they are now set to lose access to it.

The Henkel family is one of Germany’s richest, but faced with the eco disaster the Kufstein local council has now decided to rescind their rights in a vote. With four votes in favour and three against.

The town is planning to take back control of the billionaire family and use it for farming and hunting.

Experts say that too many red deer, stags and roe deer are nibbling on young plants and damaging the forest in particular as young trees are not being allowed to grow.

Christoph Henkel, 65, who is based in London and who is worth EUR 1.39 billion according to Forbes. Reportedly told local media that he believed that the forest would simply take care of itself.

But Kufstein environmental officer Thimo Fiesel said: “We are of the opinion that we have to intervene now.”

The Henkel family offered to increase the hunting lease from EUR 40,000 to EUR 80,000. But their offer fell on deaf ears, and they will have to give up their lease on 1st April 2025.