Alliance for Wildlife: Eleven environmental organizations join forces, aiming to protect wildlife in Greece.

Alliance for Wildlife: Eleven environmental organizations join forces, aiming to protect wildlife in Greece.

Eleven (11) environmental organizations are joining forces to establish the Alliance for Wildlife, a new ambitious initiative aimed at contributing to the conservation and protection of Greece’s biodiversity. This is a collective initiative focused on the effective protection of both well-known and lesser-known species important to our country. By combining the extensive experience, significant work, and expertise of these organizations, the Alliance for Wildlife aims to play a crucial role in protecting species and their ecosystems.

The initiative, coordinated and supported by WWF Greece, consists of the following environmental organizations:

ANIMA – Association for the Protection and Care of Wildlife

ARCHELON – Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece

CALLISTO – Environmental Organization for Wildlife and Nature

Hellenic Ornithological Society

Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace

Society for the Protection of Prespa

Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research of Greece

iSea – Environmental Organization for the Protection of Aquatic Ecosystems

MEDASSET – Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles

TETHYS Research Institute

WWF Greece

The programs implemented within the framework of the Alliance focus on emblematic species of Greek fauna. By protecting these species, a larger number of species and areas also benefit, leading to the overall protection of the natural environment.

 

Greece is one of the richest countries in biodiversity, hosting 18% of Europe’s fauna, with over 27,000 recorded animal species, 4,000 of which are endemic, meaning they are found only in Greece. Despite the country’s commitment to preventing biodiversity loss, to this day, the goals remain insufficient for the vast majority of even protected species, and the necessary conservation measures have not been established for these species or their habitats.

The Alliance for Wildlife aims to address critical needs in a coordinated and dynamic manner, summarized in five (5) thematic axes:

  1. Improvement of land and marine protected area management, focusing on significant areas for selected emblematic species, and taking crucial nature protection measures in relevant management plans.
  2. Enhancement of wildlife management and restoration, facilitating and strengthening stakeholder participation in the planning and implementation of actions and gaining social acceptance, especially in protected areas.
  3. Reduction of threats and their impacts on wildlife, while integrating species protection into the economic and business sectors.
  4. Expansion of knowledge through applied research, to enhance threat assessment and the development of effective conservation measures for species, particularly lesser-known ones.
  5. Promotion of human-wildlife coexistence, through collective and collaborative actions with communities, administrative authorities, and the corporate sector, aiming to co-create and implement sustainable solutions to prevent or limit unwanted human-wildlife interactions.

                                                          First Actions’ Results

Within the framework of the Alliance, several initial but significant actions have already been implemented, setting the stage for future activities. For example:

  • Analysis of 62,265 cases of wild animal admissions to a rehabilitation center by ANIMA, identifying the main causes of injury and death in wildlife.
  • Provision of equipment by the Hellenic Ornithological Society to 22 livestock farmers in Epirus to apply non-lethal methods to protect their animals from predators, contributing to the protection of the rare Egyptian vulture.
  • Organizing of conferences, seminars, and other awareness-raising activities for a total of 635 Greek and foreign participants by the Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace, addressing the cumulative impacts of wind farms in Thrace, aiming to protect rare birds of prey found in the region (Egyptian vulture, black vulture, griffon vulture, golden eagle).
  • Public awareness and education activities by the Society for the Protection of Prespa on the need to restore the St. Germanos River and protect its nine endemic fish species, aiming to increase public support and participation in creating sustainable interventions.
  • Contribution to the growth and dissemination of scientific knowledge for the conservation of caves and their fauna by the Institute for Speleological Research of Greece, through scientific publications and public awareness actions regarding the importance of bats and underground ecosystems.
  • Launch of the “Wolf Rapid Response Team” nationwide and the “Large Carnivore Observatory” by CALLISTO, to strengthen the conservation of large carnivores through incident management, policy monitoring, and advocacy interventions.
  • Citizen Scientist initiatives by iSea, resulting in the recruitment of 690 new observers on the iNaturalistGR platform to collect valuable data and fill knowledge gaps regarding species found in Greek waters.
  • WWF Greece has awarded scholarships to young researchers who have begun studying emblematic and lesser-known species (e.g., common spadefoot toad, loggerhead turtle, Dalmatian pelican). Eight scholarships were awarded in the first year, with the program now in its second year.

Additionally, other recent initiatives, from which interesting results are expected, include:

  • Sea turtles, both in terms of reducing threats from bycatch and plastic pollution by MEDASSET, and in evaluating the condition of their nesting beaches by ARCHELON, with the participation of WWF Greece.
  • The collection of scientific data on sperm whales, Cuvier’s beaked whales, and fin whales in the Hellenic Trench by the TETHYS Research Institute, as part of this year’s mission to Greece by WWF’s “Blue Panda” research vessel.
  • The national census of the Eleonora’s falcon, by the Hellenic Ornithological Society.
  • Research on illegal wildlife trade by WWF Greece.

With the Alliance for Wildlife, the eleven (11) environmental organizations unite their strengths and experience, each in their area of expertise, to create a collective force, maximizing the impact of their actions and sharing a common vision: the well-being of wildlife and humans.

Learn more about the Alliance for Wildlife on the initiative’s official website www.greekwildlifealliance.gr.