Large Carnivores status in Greece-

brief overview

(Alex. Kavvadia MSc Biologist- Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy

Yorgos Mertzanis, PhD biologist – NGO Callisto)

7th Regional Workshop of the

EU PLATFORM ON COEXISTENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE AND LARGE CARNIVORES

Budva, MONTENEGRO, November 6th, 2018

3+1 large carnivore species in Greece.

7th Regional Workshop of the EU PLATFORM ON COEXISTENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE

AND LARGE CARNIVORES -(Budva, Montenegro, November 6th , 2018)

Brown bear

Wolf Golden jackal

Lynx lynx

Brown bear (Ursus arctos) status- Greece.

LCIE, 2015

Brown bear: range, distribution

Part of the Dinara Pindos & Eastern Balkan populations

Population: 400-500 ind.

(Pilidis 2015, MoE 2016)

Range: 34,868 km2 Distribution: 17,850 km2 (Recolonization of former range)

Legal Status Greek law (1969/art.258) (strictly protected) EU HD 92/43 (Annex II – IV

priority species) Bern Convention (Annex II)

(strictly protected) (Red data Book, 2009):“EN”

Grey wolf (Canis lupus) status- Greece.

LCIE, 2015

Part of the Dinara Pindos & Eastern Balkan populations

Population: 717-815 ind(min),189

packs, 1,4-2,1 ind/100km2 (Iliopoulos, MoE 2016)

Range: 71,000 km2 Distribution: 61,000-64,000 km2

(Recolonization of former range) Legal Status: EU HD: Annex II/IV (priority

species – south of 39o ) – V (north of 39o parallel)

Bern Convention (Annex II)(strictly protected)

Red data Book “VU”

Golden jackal (Canis aureus) status- Greece.

Population: ~ 1,000 ind (WWF Greece, Giannatos 2004,

WWF Greece 2009)

Range: 30,049 km2 Distribution: 11,525 km2 Recolonization of former

range (W. Greece)(Kominos

et al. 2018)

Legal Status IUCN Red List : “LC” EU HD (Annex V) Red data Book 2009: “VU” In 1990 delisted from

“pest” (in Greece).

Balkan Lynx (Lynx lynx balkanicus) status- Greece.

? ?

Population: unknown (probably vagrants)

Potential Range: 2,130 km2 (Kominos 2016 , MoE 2016)

Potential Distribution: NW Pindos range(Kominos 2016 , MoE

2016)

Legal Status: IUCN Red List of Threatened

Species : Critically endangered (CR)

EU HD (Annex II,IV, V) Red data Book 2009:

“critically endangered” (CR)

LC Monitoring scheme & methods in Greece.

LC’s monitoring scheme in Greece.

EU Member States 6 year reporting (HD 92/43, art.17) (1st National Report 1994 -2000, 2nd NR 2001-2006, 3rd NR 2007-2012)

MEEN “Monitoring and assessment of the conservation status of species and habitat types of Community Interest in Greece» (2012-2015)”

Action plan for Ursus arctos (under LIFE93/NAT/GR/010800, submission 1995,revision 2019, legal approval

2020) will be updated within LIFE-IP 4 Natura

LIFE projects: Brown bear (1994-95, 1997-99, 2000-02, 2009-13, 2011-2015, 2016-2020) – Wolf (1998-2001)

WWF – Greece (funds): Jackal (2004, 2009) Monitoring in Protected areas (National Parks), SPA’s & SCI’s. Other regional scale Monitoring projects: i.e. related to large scale transportation

infrastructure (via Egnatia).

Greek submission of Article 17 reporting for the period 2007 - 2012. The actual reporting period for Greece is 2007 – 2014 : http://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/gr/eu/art17/envvkfa_q/

BEAR: A. Distribution range size and trends

• Systematic records of bio-signs

• FWCOY spring surveys

• Confirmed damage on livestock-

beehives and cultivations (yearly

official data from National Farmers

Insurance Organization - ELGA).

• Questionnaire surveys

• Camera traps

BEAR: B. Population levels and trends

• Systematic records of bio-signs

• FWCOY spring surveys

• Genetic fingerprinting

N.Pindos-Gramos: Nc=219(Tsaparis et al 2014),

N.Pindos – Florina : Nc=154 (Patronidis et al 2018)

Rodopi: Nc= 92 ind.(Pilidis 2015)

Total: 400-500 ind.(Pilidis 2015, MoE 2016).

• Human-caused mortality records

• Camera traps

BEAR: C. Home range and spatial activity

• Telemetry

(70 tagged ind.)

• Genetic fingerprinting

(capture-recapture)

Home range size Average HR (MCP100) for M ~271 km2 Average HR (MCP100) for F ~118km2 (Giannakopoulos et al. 2015)

Habitat connectivity – gene flow

Habitat use Monitoring of problem bears.

• Confirmed damage to livestock-

2013 per municipality (ΕΛΓΑ, 2013).

• Occupancy models to predict

presence

• Closed season- three summer months

• Royle- Nichols – closed one season

occupancy models

(Iliopoulos et al. 2016)

WOLF: A. Distribution range size/ Complete census: ΟCCUPANCY

MODELS from large scale presence data (livestock damage records)

WOLF: Β1. Distribution & Territory size: Based on, a) Pack spacing b) direct territory

size estimations (Iliopoulos et al. 2016)

Interviews with locals-

breeding sites confirmed

Howling sessions :

Pack spacing and

counting.

Camera traps (pups of the year)

Wolf telemetry

Territory size:

Β.2 Population: Average pack

size

Camera trapping

(>30 days- winter

data)

Snowtracking

Minimum pack size

ν= 26 / 5.4 ± 0.6

individuals/pack

(95%C.I)

(Iliopoulos et al. 2016)

JACKAL: Distribution range size and population estimation

(Giannatos 2004-WWF Greece, Migli, Petridou 2010 – WWF Greece/Callisto, Kominos et al 2018))

• Questionnaires – interviews –

information gathering.

• Acoustic simulation sessions/

call-ins

• Transect counts with spotlights

(depending on terrain and

vegetation coverage

• Telemetry

Balkan LYNX : Intensive surveys for presence detection

(1991- 2016 and continued) (Kominos, Panagiotopoulou 1992, 1994– Kominos, Galanaki 2016)

• Questionnaires – interviews –

information gathering.

• Testimonies records

• Camera traps network

Reliability categories (based on SCALP classification criteria): Category 1 (C1): “Hard facts” verified and unchallenged observations such as dead Lynx and clear photos of Lynx. Category 2 (C2): Observations controlled and confirmed by a specialist, such as killed livestock or wild prey, and Lynx tracks or other field signs. Category 3 (C3): Unconfirmed observations of the category 2 (kills, tracks,other field signs too old or poorly documented) and all observations such as direct observations and calls which by their nature cannot be verified.

Ministry of Environment and Energy (MEEN), Management Bodies of Natura 2000 sites

Hellenic Ministry of Rural Development and Food Rural development Program of Greece (2014-2020)

Measure 4.4.1 “Protection of agricultural/livestock farming activities from Bear damage.

With contribution of : NGO,s, Universities, Research Institutes.

LIFE-IP 4 NATURA (LIFE16 IPE/GR/000002) www.edozoume.gr

Formulation, legal adoption and implementation of APs for species/habitats of Community Interest (2019- 2020- 2025) AP for brown bear Pilot implementation of MPs in four (4) participating Administrative Regions (start 2022)

Complementary actions

• Drafting, preparation, evaluation, reviewing and legal adoption of the MPs for all Natura 2000 sites (end 2021) (including SES)

• Measures listed in Greek PAF (2014- 2020, 2020-2024)

APs Workshop specific management actions for wolf

Management of LCs in Greece.

Thank you for your attention!!