Wild boars are often seen roaming the streets of Athens’ northern and northeastern suburbs, even during the day. [Shutterstock]
A few days ago, photos of a pack of wolves wandering outside Elaiochoria, in the regional unit of Halkidiki, northern Greece, were posted on the internet. According to the report, local residents are concerned about their appearance so close to their homes. This phenomenon has become frequent in the villages of Halkidiki, while wolf attacks on dogs have also been reported.
But we don’t have to go all the way to Halkidiki to see wildlife getting increasingly close to human settlements. In the northern and northeastern suburbs of Attica, in Ekali, Dionysos and Drosia, wild boars are often seen on the streets and in neighborhoods, even during the day. Their populations have increased due to the mild climate, but also the reduction of natural predators. Furthermore, human activities, construction, road openings, and of course forest fires have forced the animals to move to other areas and look for food, which they find quite easily in houses’ gardens and garbage bins.
More generally, in recent years, there has been a rise in the number of wild animal populations, and that is why the discussion about how we coexist with them has been intense. Experts have long been warning about the new challenges and the need to prepare plans to manage the new reality, which should be carried out after reliable scientific studies have been conducted.
When the state does not draw up proper plans, does not inform the public properly or intervenes too early, gaps are created which some people will attempt to fill in unorthodox ways
The example of the wild boar is, however, typical of the absence of a plan. Misguided decisions were made, their population was not effectively controlled and the animals multiplied at a very rapid pace. Another example of poor management was an Athens prosecutor’s decision last May to remove the wolves from Mount Parnitha National Park and relocate them in northern Greece. The order caused surprise, provoked reactions, and was considered completely unfeasible by scientists, while the Nature 2000 Committee, the main scientific and advisory body of the state on these issues, stated that the transfer of wolves to another ecosystem is not only impossible to implement, but also contradicts EU legislation.
When the state does not draw up proper plans, does not inform the public properly or intervenes too early, gaps are created which some people will attempt to fill in unorthodox ways.
There have also been recent reports of hunters appearing near neighborhoods in the northern suburbs, but no official complaint has yet been filed. However, the possibility of someone with a hunting rifle searching for and killing wild boars near residential areas of Ekali, Dionysos and Drosia is very dangerous.