Wildlife attacks in Chalkidiki, Greece

In the Neos Marmaras area of Chalkidiki, Greece, two separate wildlife attacks involving Serbian tourists raised safety concerns. The incidents included an attack on a 46-year-old man resulting in neck injuries, followed by an attack on a two-year-old child at a beach. The child was treated at Hippokrateio Hospital for head and back injuries and received anti-rabies serum.

The Hunting Federation of Macedonia and Thrace (KOMATH) investigated whether the predator was a jackal or a wolf. Kyriakos Skordas, director of KOMATH, noted concerns that the animal may have lost its natural fear of humans, stating that it ‘treats the human not as a threat but as prey.’

A subsequent attack occurred near Cryoneri, where a man named Thanasis Linardos was injured during an eight-minute struggle with an aggressive animal in a forested area. Linardos reported that the animal lunged at him repeatedly and bit him after he slipped while attempting to shield himself behind a tree. He eventually repelled the animal using a stick and a stone.

Researchers from the environmental organization Kallisto are now conducting DNA analysis on saliva samples from the victim’s clothing to determine if the animal was a wolf, a wolf-dog hybrid, or part of a monitored pack. Notably, the victim stated the animal was wearing a tracking collar with a flashing red light. This incident follows a pattern of increasing wolf sightings and human encounters in the Cryoneri and Vryompi area.