Press kit / Media content

Callisto – Environmental Organisation for Wildlife and Nature was established in 2004 by a group of scientists with extensive experience in environmental research and conservation. Its work focuses primarily on promoting the sustainable coexistence of people and wildlife, with particular emphasis on three large carnivore species—the brown bear, the grey wolf, and the golden jackal—and the conservation of their habitats.

Headquartered in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Callisto maintains regional collaborators in Thessaly (Karditsa and Trikala), Epirus (Ioannina), Western Macedonia (Kastoria and Grevena), and Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Paranesti). The organisation has represented the environmental NGO sector on the Nature 2000 Committee, the Board of Directors of the Green Fund, the Monitoring Committees of the Rural Development and Environment and Sustainable Development Operational Programmes, and the management bodies of several protected areas, including the Northern Pindos National Park, the Rhodope Mountain Range, and the Tzoumerka National Park.

To date, Callisto has successfully implemented more than 70 conservation projects, including 10 LIFE projects, 4 INTERREG projects, and numerous research and cross-border cooperation initiatives. Its expertise and achievements have earned broad recognition at both national and international levels. For more than five years, the European Commission entrusted Callisto with providing technical and scientific support to the EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores.

In May 2018, Callisto received two prestigious awards from the European Commission: the Natura 2000 Award in the category “Reconciling Interests / Perceptions”, and the Best of the Best LIFE Projects Award in the category “Nature and Biodiversity” for the LIFE ARCTOS/KASTORIA (LIFE09 NAT/GR/000333) project.

Callisto places particular emphasis on implementing practical conservation measures that improve the conditions for coexistence between people and wildlife. These include the provision of electric fencing systems and livestock guardian dogs to reduce damage to agricultural activities, the operation of Rapid Response Teams to manage emergency situations such as bears entering settlements, and initiatives to combat the illegal use of poison baits. The organisation also places great importance on transferring knowledge and best practices to the competent authorities, including Forest Services, local authorities, and National Parks.

Alongside its field conservation work, Callisto promotes environmental protection through environmental education programmes for children and adults, public awareness campaigns, and volunteer programmes.

The organisation also advocates for the prevention and mitigation of the impacts of large infrastructure projects and other human activities on the natural environment. It works to strengthen the establishment and effective management of protected areas, while supporting national and international conservation networks such as Natura 2000.

Finally, Callisto develops extensive partnerships with other environmental organisations, international institutions, and research organisations both in Greece and abroad.

You can follow Callisto’s work through the News section of our website and on our social media channels.

For media enquiries, please contact the Press and Communications Office at communication@callisto.gr.