Once again, a horrific chain of wildlife deaths has unfolded in Evros, this time within the protected boundaries of the Evros Delta National Park.
Just a year after the mass poisoning that killed 47 wild animals in the Feres region, history repeats itself only a few kilometers away. This time, 48 animals have fallen victim, most likely to poisoned baits, setting a grim new record in Greece’s conservation history.
The nightmare began on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, when staff from the Delta Evros and Dadia National Park Management Unit noticed that a telemetry transmitter attached to a Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) had remained in a fixed position for an extended period. The next day, field inspection led to the discovery of two dead Marsh Harriers, one of which carried the transmitter.
Authorities, including the Alexandroupolis Forest Service and the Thrace Biodiversity Protection Society (TBPS), were immediately alerted. Over the following days, patrols by the Special Poisoned Bait Detection Unit of TBPS, along with the Central Macedonia Protected Areas Management Unit of NECCA, uncovered a total of 48 dead animals in the vicinity.
The victims included 16 Golden Jackals, 13 Marsh Harriers, 16 Common Buzzards, one Hooded Crow, and two Ravens. The suspected poisoned bait —livestock remains laced with a toxic substance— was also recovered.
Over six days of patrols, the two detection dogs, Dalton and Bora, and their handlers searched approximately 50 kilometers. The Alexandroupolis Forest Service collected and safely buried the carcasses with the help of the local municipality to prevent further poisonings. Samples of the suspected bait and well-preserved remains were sent to the Evros Veterinary Directorate for toxicological analysis.
A Criminal and Widespread Threat
The use of poisoned baits has been illegal in Greece since 1993, yet it remains a common and deadly practice. It’s not just wildlife at risk—these toxins can just as easily kill domestic animals and even pose a direct threat to humans. A poisoned carcass can contaminate water sources, while accidental ingestion or contact with such substances could have devastating consequences for people, particularly children and unsuspecting passersby.
This is not negligence; it is murder. Poisoned baits do not discriminate; they trigger a chain reaction of deaths as poisoned animals become deadly food for scavengers. This indiscriminate massacre threatens entire populations of protected species and destabilizes fragile ecosystems.
While conservation efforts have made progress—such as the formation of Special Poison Detection Units and the implementation of Local Action Plans—these horrifying incidents highlight the urgent need for stricter enforcement, harsher penalties, and a complete societal shift against this barbaric practice.
Despite some conservation efforts—including the formation of Special Poison Detection Units and the implementation of Local Action Plans—this mass killing in Evros proves that we are failing. Stricter enforcement is needed. Harsher penalties are necessary. Enough with the weak responses—this is an environmental crime, and those responsible must face real consequences.
The poisoning of 48 animals in Evros is not just an environmental disaster; it is a disgrace. If we do not take stronger action now, we are all complicit in this continued destruction.
For more information on the fight against wildlife poisoning, visit: https://antipoison.necca.gov.gr/.
