Satellite Collaring of Wolves in Mount Parnitha by Callisto

The summer wolf-trapping campaign was successfully carried out by the field team of the environmental organization Callisto between August 21 and September 1 in the protected area of Mount Parnitha. The operation was conducted with the support of the staff of the Management Unit of Parnitha and Schinias National Parks and the Protected Areas of the Saronic Gulf (NECCA), as part of the European LIFE Wild Wolf project.

During the campaign, three wolves were captured—an adult male, an adult female, and a young female—in Central and Western Parnitha. Each animal was fitted with a satellite collar that transmits its location via satellite link every few hours.

To minimize stress on the wolves, specific protocols were applied during their capture. These included the use of special traps that do not cause injuries, round-the-clock monitoring that allows rapid intervention after capture, the use of modern anesthetic formulations for safe sedation and recovery, and constant veterinary supervision.

According to Dr. Υiorgos Iliopoulos, biologist and scientific coordinator for wolves at Callisto, “satellite telemetry data are extremely valuable, as they are used to estimate pack size, territory range, feeding habits, predation behavior, and their impact on deer populations, as well as to record approaches to human settlements and livestock farms.”

The most important results of similar telemetry research carried out in 2023–2024 in Eastern Parnitha, also under the LIFE Wild Wolf project, have already been shared with the competent authorities along with other key findings and conclusions. These will also be presented at the 12th Hellenic Ecological Society Conference (Helecos), taking place in Athens on 1–4 October 2025 (Helecos website).