Authorities in Neos Marmaras, Halkidiki, have launched an emergency operation using drones, GPS-monitored traps and veterinary teams after two separate wolf attacks injured young children; capture is preferred but euthanasia may be authorised if non-lethal removal proves impossible.

Neos Marmaras, Halkidiki — Local residents and holidaymakers in the popular Halkidiki coastal area have been alarmed after a lone wolf attacked and wounded a five-year-old girl last Friday, prompting authorities to open an urgent search and removal operation.

According to local reports, the child — a tourist from Serbia — was injured but managed to fend the animal off with thrown stones, with a nearby man helping to drive the wolf away. Officials say this incident follows an earlier attack, about two months ago, in which a three-year-old boy from Bulgaria was hurt while playing on the beach with his godfather; the child suffered wounds to the abdomen and leg.

Emergency Directive and Measures

The government’s General Secretary for Forests, Efstathios Stathopoulos, issued a circular ordering immediate action “for public safety” to remove the solitary wolf from the Neos Marmaras area. The decision cites the animal’s habituation to people and the reported human injuries as the primary reasons for the measure.

The authorization allows a range of tactics to locate and remove the animal: the use of special cameras and drones for surveillance, leg-snare traps monitored by GPS, and immobilising (anaesthetic) weapons under legal provisions. If capture and tranquilisation are not possible, the directive also permits the use of hunting weapons as a last resort.

Capture First, Killing only if Necessary

Environmental organisations and state forestry services will work together to form a capture team. The plan foresees immediate cooperation between forestry units, the local protected-areas management team, the environmental NGOs Callisto and Arctouros, and local hunting organisations to coordinate the operation and provide the necessary equipment and personnel.

A spokesperson for the environmental group Callisto, Iason Bantios, said traps designed to catch the wolf by the leg without causing injury will be installed and monitored by GPS. He stated the primary objective is to capture the animal and transfer it to Arctouros’ wolf shelter. Officials say a veterinarian will be present during operations.

The directive makes clear that the final outcome will depend on the animal’s behaviour. While capture and relocation are prioritised, the removal order explicitly leaves open the possibility of euthanasia or shooting if non-lethal options fail and public safety remains at risk. The exceptional measures will remain in force until the wolf is removed from the area.