A police officer was injured early Monday after his motorcycle collided with a wild boar on a road leading toward the island of Lefkada in western Greece while he was traveling to report for duty.
The accident occurred on a provincial road connecting to the Vonitsa-Lefkada highway after the officer departed from the coastal town of Palairos on the mainland. The wild animal suddenly entered the roadway, leaving the rider with little time to avoid the collision. Despite the impact, the officer survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
He sustained a fractured arm and rib injuries and was taken to the Lefkada General Hospital, where he remains hospitalized and is expected to undergo surgery.
The incident is the latest in a growing number of encounters between motorists and wild boars in Greece, where expanding populations have increasingly brought the animals into contact with urban fringes and busy road networks.
Over the past year, authorities have reported more frequent sightings in suburban neighborhoods, agricultural areas and along major highways, particularly in northern Greece and around the greater Athens area.
Experts attribute the trend to population growth, habitat disruption caused by wildfires and drought, as well as the animals’ search for food and water, prompting calls for greater caution among drivers, especially during nighttime and early morning hours when wild boars are most active.
