The massive increase of hikers, joggers and cyclists in German forests has taken a toll on animals and their habitat, said Christoph Schramm of Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND).

“Garbage cans in parks and recreational areas are overflowing with disposable masks and one-way packaging due to closed restaurants, and a lot of garbage just gets left in nature,” Schramm told dpa.

Mountain biking has also been very popular, leading to the illegal creation of new trails, particularly in the forests of south-western Germany.

“The illegal trails are a particular problem because they usually do not take protected areas and habitats into account,” he said. “As a result, nature is further destroyed and animal habitats are disturbed.”