Wolf near Athens removed after suspected attacks on joggers

Greek conservation groups have caught and removed a male wolf suspected of attacks on joggers in Mount Parnitha near Athens in recent months, officials said.

The move was authorized by the environment ministry after the animal reportedly attacked and slightly injured a jogger in a forested area of the rural town of Kryoneri, northeast of the capital, on September 24, the Callisto group said.

"After a lengthy chase during the night of October 5 to 6, 2026, the male wolf that had alarmed the residents of the Kryoneri, Varybobi and Olympic Village settlements in recent months due to his frequent appearances within the urban fabric was successfully and safely tranquilized," the group said.

The wolf had been fitted with a tracking collar in July and returned to the woods but it continued to return to urban areas near Mount Parnitha, mainly to prey on stray cats, Callisto said.

"(It) continued to display bold behavior, even following citizens at close range," the group said.

The wolf reportedly attacked a jogger in February and again in September.

It was taken to a wolf sanctuary operated by the Arcturos wildlife organization in northern Greece. 

Wolves are protected in Greece under the Bern Convention, to the consternation of many farmers who claim their numbers have swelled in recent years.

The population stands at 2,075 individuals, mainly in the north of the country, according to a recent study by Callisto. 

In mid-August, a female wolf suspected of having attacked and injured a four-year-old child near Thessaloniki was also captured. She was found to be missing a leg and was in poor health.

In September 2025, another wolf reportedly attacked and injured a five-year-old girl near a seaside resort in Chalkidiki, northern Greece.

On its website, Callisto explained that wolves inhabited remote areas far from people when suitable wild prey is abundant there. But when that natural habitat is destroyed, they move closer to areas where they could find food.

In Greece, "populations of wild ungulates that could naturally sustain wolves – such as roe deer and wild boar—remain relatively sparse," it explained. 

"As a result, wolves in Greece currently depend to a significant extent on livestock, refuse dumps, animal carcasses originating from slaughterhouses and livestock farms, and other human-associated food sources."