Wolf near Athens captured after alleged jogger attacks

Greek conservation groups have captured and removed a male wolf suspected of links to attacks on joggers near Mount Parnitha, northeast of Athens.

The Environment Ministry authorised the move after the animal allegedly attacked and slightly injured a jogger in a forested area of Kryoneri on September 24, the Callisto conservation group said.

Callisto said the wolf was safely tranquilised during a night chase on October 5 to 6, 2026. The group said the animal had alarmed residents of Kryoneri, Varybobi and Olympic Village in recent months through frequent appearances in urban areas.

The wolf had been fitted with a tracking collar in July and returned to the woods, but Callisto said it kept coming back to urban areas near Mount Parnitha, mainly to prey on stray cats. The group said it had also displayed bold behaviour, including following people at close range.

The wolf allegedly attacked a jogger in February and again in September. It was taken to a wolf sanctuary run by the Arcturos wildlife organisation in northern Greece.

Wolves are protected in Greece under the Bern Convention. Callisto said a recent study put Greece's wolf population at 2,075, mainly in the north of the country.

In mid-August, a female wolf suspected of attacking and injuring a four-year-old child near Thessaloniki was also captured. She was found to be missing a leg and 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.

Callisto says wolves usually inhabit remote areas away from people when enough suitable wild prey is available. It said roe deer and wild boar remain relatively sparse in Greece, leaving wolves dependent to a significant extent on livestock, refuse dumps, animal carcasses from slaughterhouses and livestock farms, and other human-associated food sources.