Eleven (11) environmental organizations have joined forces to establish the Wildlife Alliance, an ambitious new initiative dedicated to contributing to the conservation and protection of Greece’s biodiversity. This collective initiative places the effective protection of both well-known and lesser-known species of national importance at the heart of its work. By combining their extensive experience, significant achievements, and specialized expertise, the Wildlife Alliance aims to play a decisive role in safeguarding wildlife species and their ecosystems.

The initiative operates under the coordination and support of WWF Greece and brings together the following environmental organizations:

• ANIMA – Wildlife Protection and Rehabilitation Association
• ARCHELON – The Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece
• Callisto – Wildlife and Nature Conservation Society
• Hellenic Ornithological Society
• Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace
• Society for the Protection of Prespa
• Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research
• iSea – Environmental Organization for the Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems
• MEDASSET – Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles
• TETHYS Research Institute
• WWF Greece

The Alliance’s projects focus on flagship species of Greek wildlife. By protecting these species, a much wider range of species and habitats also benefit, resulting in broader conservation of Greece’s natural environment.

Greece is one of Europe’s richest countries in terms of biodiversity, hosting 18% of Europe’s fauna, with more than 27,000 recorded animal species, of which approximately 4,000 are endemic, occurring nowhere else in the world. Despite Greece’s commitment to preventing biodiversity loss, conservation objectives remain insufficient for the vast majority of species, including many protected ones, while the necessary conservation measures for species and their habitats have yet to be fully established.

The Wildlife Alliance seeks to address these challenges through five strategic priorities:

1. Improving the management of terrestrial and marine protected areas, with particular emphasis on key habitats for selected flagship species and the integration of effective conservation measures into management plans.
2. Enhancing wildlife management and restoration, by facilitating and strengthening stakeholder participation in planning and implementing conservation actions and increasing public acceptance, especially in protected areas.
3. Reducing threats and their impacts on wildlife, while promoting the integration of species conservation into economic and business activities.
4. Expanding scientific knowledge through applied research, to improve threat assessment and develop effective conservation measures, particularly for lesser-known species.
5. Promoting peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife, through collaborative initiatives involving local communities, public authorities, and the private sector to develop and implement sustainable solutions that prevent or reduce human–wildlife conflicts.

Results of the first actions

Within the framework of the Wildlife Alliance, several important initiatives have already been successfully implemented, laying the foundation for future activities. Highlights include:

• Analysis of 62,265 wildlife admissions to a wildlife rehabilitation center by ANIMA, identifying the primary causes of injury and mortality among wild animals.
• Provision of equipment by the Hellenic Ornithological Society to 22 livestock farmers in Epirus, supporting the use of non-lethal predator deterrence methods that also contribute to the conservation of the endangered Egyptian Vulture.
• Organization of conferences, seminars, and awareness events reaching 635 Greek and international participants on the cumulative impacts of wind farms in Thrace, led by the Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace, aiming to protect rare birds of prey such as the Egyptian Vulture, Black Vulture, Griffon Vulture, and Golden Eagle.
• Public awareness activities by the Society for the Protection of Prespa highlighting the restoration of the Agios Germanos River and the conservation of its nine endemic fish species, fostering public support for sustainable restoration measures.
• Expansion and dissemination of scientific knowledge on cave ecosystems and cave fauna by the Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research, through scientific publications and awareness campaigns focusing on bats and subterranean biodiversity.
• Establishment by Callisto of the Rapid Response Unit for Wolves operating nationwide, alongside the Large Carnivore Observatory, strengthening conservation through incident management, policy monitoring, and advocacy.
• Public awareness campaigns and citizen science biodiversity surveys led by iSea, attracting 690 new observers to the iNaturalistGR platform and contributing valuable data on marine biodiversity in Greece.
• Awarding of research scholarships by WWF Greece to young scientists studying both flagship and lesser-known species, including the Pelobates frog, European eel, and Dalmatian pelican. Eight scholarships were awarded during the first year, with the programme now entering its second year.

Ongoing initiatives

Several additional actions are currently underway, including:

• Conservation efforts for sea turtles, focusing on reducing threats from bycatch and plastic pollution by MEDASSET, alongside assessments of nesting beaches conducted by ARCHELON with the participation of WWF Greece.
• Scientific surveys of sperm whales, Cuvier’s beaked whales, and fin whales in the Hellenic Trench by the TETHYS Research Institute, as part of the WWF Blue Panda research expedition.
• A national census of Eleonora’s Falcon carried out by the Hellenic Ornithological Society.
• Research into the illegal wildlife trade conducted by WWF Greece.

Through the Wildlife Alliance, the eleven environmental organizations combine their expertise, experience, and resources, creating a collective force that maximizes the impact of their conservation efforts while pursuing a shared vision: a thriving future for both wildlife and people.

Learn more about the Wildlife Alliance by visiting the initiative’s official website: www.greekwildlifealliance.gr