Significant Contribution of PESYDAP and DIKEPAZ to the LIFE Wild Wolf Project in Greece

Joint Press Release

The Environmental Association of Municipalities of Athens-Piraeus (PESYDAP) and the Intermunicipal Center for the Care of Stray Animals (DIKEPAZ) responded positively and promptly to the environmental organization Callisto's request for technical assistance in implementing the European LIFE Wild Wolf project. Their initial contribution involves providing genetic material (DNA) from the population of stray dogs managed by DIKEPAZ for necessary genetic analyses. They also intend to support other related actions of the program in the future to contribute to its successful implementation.

Callisto and NECCA (Natural Environment and Climate Change Organization) are implementing actions of the European LIFE Wild Wolf project in the area of the Parnitha National Park and its surroundings. This program involves eight European countries with 19 collaborating organizations. The main objectives of the program include identifying the key factors that lead to wolf habituation in peri-urban areas, defining optimal management interventions to prevent their permanent presence near human settlements, and enhancing the technical capacity of relevant authorities in communication, monitoring, and managing the species’ presence in peri-urban areas.

One of the actions undertaken by Callisto, in collaboration with the Genetics, Development, and Molecular Biology Department of the Biology Faculty of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (under Professor Triantaphyllidis' laboratory), involves population assessments of wolves in Parnitha National Park and investigating hybridization between wolves and dogs (a set of actions related to exploring the causes of habituated wolves and monitoring the species’ population).

For the investigation of wolf-dog hybridization, in addition to non-invasive wolf DNA sampling, simultaneous analysis of genetic material from dogs is required to create a suitable genetic reference database. Stray dogs from municipalities neighboring Parnitha, such as Megara, Fyli, and Acharnes, are considered the most appropriate source as they potentially interact with wolves.

Given PESYDAP's interest and involvement in understanding the likelihood and degree of hybridization between wolves and dogs in areas where it operates and provides services for stray animals, it will immediately proceed with providing the necessary genetic material for comparisons, derived from examinations and sterilizations of stray dogs.

Environmental Organization Callisto
Environmental Association of Municipalities of Athens-Piraeus (PESYDAP)
Genetics, Development, and Molecular Biology Laboratory of the Biology Faculty, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh)