The prosecutor for animal protection of a Greek court has ordered the removal of wolves from Mount Parnitha National Park near Athens and their transfer to a mountainous region in northern Greece, sparking a backlash from scientists and conservationists alike.
The directive, issued about ten days ago, orders the Parnitha Forestry Service to capture the wolves and transport them to northern Greece, a region that already has an overpopulation of wolves. It states that the presence of wolves in the Mount Parnitha National Park endangers the survival of the red deer, an animal that has been living on the mountain for decades.
There has been an increase in wolf populations around Athens recently, compared to past years, when wolf populations outside the Greek capital struggled. It is believed that a surge in the numbers of local deer, which occurred after a massive forest fire razed much of Mount Parnitha in 2007, led to an increase in the wolf population.
Authorities have been scrambling to work out how to carry out the order, with the Minister of Energy and the Environment responsible for the endeavor.
“We were all surprised, as there was no prior indication of a problem,” Efstathios Stathopoulos, the Greek secretary general for forests said. “There is no precedent so there’s a lack of technical knowledge. And safely capturing the wolves will be anything but easy,” he said.
Two meetings have already been held in response to the prosecutor’s order to explore possible implementation strategies, with one broader in scope involving the forestry service, the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (OFYPEKA), and the Hunting Federation. OFYPEKA has commissioned two urgent studies, one to assess the wolf population and another to explore possible relocation sites. The forestry service is to lead the capture efforts.
Greek court’s order for the wolves’ removal from Mount Parnitha sparks scientific backlash
The plan has drawn strong criticism from the scientific community, Kathimerini reports.
“It’s a very simplistic approach—like saying ‘let’s get rid of the bad wolves eating the cute deer,’ ” said Giorgos Kokkoris, associate professor of ecology at the University of the Aegean. “The intent may be well-meaning but the order is clearly unscientific. Wolves are apex predators and play a critical role maintaining ecological balance,” he said. He referred to the example of Yellowstone National Park of the United States, where reintroducing wolves into the wild had widespread positive effects on the ecosystem.
Giorgos Iliopoulos, a biologist and wolf expert with the NGO Callisto, which is dedicated to conserving Greece’s native wolf populations, said removing the animals could reverse years of natural recovery.
“A decade ago, the deer population in Parnitha had increased significantly and was inhibiting fir regeneration. Wolves helped restore ecological balance. This decision is flawed both in principle and in procedure,” he said.
According to Kathimerini, Iliopoulos estimates the current wolf population in Parnitha at around 50 individuals, making capture a complex task.
“You’d need the kind of personnel and resources found in large US national parks. And even if removed, wolves would likely recolonize the area within two years,” he added.