A fox WAS spotted wandering on the Acropolis Hill.[ANIMA]
Police trying to capture a wild boar near a school in Evosmos, Thessaloniki, recently drew online attention and renewed debate over the growing presence of wildlife in Greek cities.
Wild boars, wolves and foxes are increasingly appearing in urban areas, troubling residents and farmers. According to Spyros Psaroudas of the environmental group Callisto, animals enter cities because the countryside is being abandoned and primary production has declined. As livestock farming, agriculture and forestry retreat across Europe, biodiversity and food sources away from settlements shrink, pushing animal populations toward urban food.
Waste management also plays a key role. Psaroudas says animals find food more easily in garbage than in dense forests, while urban expansion penetrates habitats.
Maria Ganoti of the wildlife group ANIMA says exposed trash attracts wild boars, while food left for stray animals draws foxes, which should be left alone and not fed. The Environment Ministry says hunting removes 70,000-80,000 wild boars annually nationwide.