The aim and task of species protection is the preservation of wild animal and plant species, their communities and the protection of their habitats and biotopes. Any action that leads to an impairment, disturbance or destruction of animal and plant species and their habitats is prohibited by the Act on Nature Conservation and Landscape Conservation (Federal Nature Conservation Act - BNatSchG).

An exemption from the prohibitions of general species protection may be granted on request if the derogation is compatible with the interests of nature conservation and landscape conservation.

An exception to the prohibitions of special species protection may be granted on request. The granting of such an exception concerns access prohibitions in the context of special and/or strictly protected species

• catch, injure, kill or remove from nature specially protected species, damage or destroy their forms of development
• significant disturbance of strictly protected species and European bird species during reproduction, rearing, moulting, wintering and migration periods
• removed from nature, damage or destroy reproductive or resting places of wild animals of specially protected species
• removed from nature, damage or destroy wild plants of the specially protected species or their forms of development or sites