Animal welfare and uncontrolled wildlife issues reported in Greece and Cyprus

In Greece, the Communist Party (KKE) has submitted a formal inquiry to the Ministries of Environment and Agriculture regarding the long-standing issue of unsupervised livestock and wild boars in Lefkada. For nearly 20 years, uncontrolled cattle and, more recently, wild boars have caused extensive damage to olive groves, vineyards, and other crops in central mountainous Lefkada. The situation has also reportedly led to damage in village cemeteries and increased road safety risks due to animal-related traffic accidents.

In Cyprus, the Environment and Animal Welfare Commissioner, Elias Myrianthous, has called for more systematic inspections of animal hosting facilities. This follows an incident at Melios Zoo in Agioi Triimidous, where a bear escaped its enclosure on a Saturday night. The Commissioner noted that the facility has previously faced judicial decisions regarding non-compliance with animal welfare laws. The zoo owner stated that state inspections had never previously flagged issues regarding construction or safety, while veterinary services are coordinating with police to investigate the incident.