Rural communities across Greece are witnessing a surge in close encounters with large carnivores as populations of brown bears and wolves make a striking recovery. Once scarce in many regions, these predators are now appearing with increasing frequency in agricultural settlements, residential areas and even near major cities, leaving residents concerned for their safety and livelihoods.

Farmers in the northwestern highlands report regular livestock losses, with animals found killed or injured near homes and fields. Such incidents, previously rare, are now common enough that some households have moved their remaining animals into reinforced pens. Fear of repeated attacks has spread across villages where residents say they are struggling to adapt to an unfamiliar and rapidly changing ecological reality.

The rebound in predator numbers has been welcomed by conservationists, who credit decades-long protection from hunting and stronger legal safeguards. Brown bear populations, in particular, have grown nearly fourfold since the 1990s, with recent surveys estimating more than 800 individuals moving through northern Greek forests. Wolves, too, have expanded their range dramatically, now reaching the outskirts of Athens and extending into the Peloponnese.

Their comeback has been aided indirectly by the explosion of wild boar populations across the country. Reduced hunting pressure, milder winters and interbreeding with domestic pigs have contributed to the boars’ rapid growth. As their numbers rise, the animals are increasingly spotted in suburban neighbourhoods, roadsides and village yards, worsening crop damage and drawing both predators and humans into closer contact.

This rise in wildlife has been accompanied by a notable increase in incidents involving people. Several severe encounters have occurred this year, including injuries caused by bears and wolves and one fatal fall during a bear encounter in a mountainous area. Many residents, unfamiliar with how to behave when faced with large carnivores, report feeling unsafe walking outdoors after dark, especially as animals now roam inside villages and near homes.

Communities in regions such as Levea and Valtonera describe near-daily wildlife sightings in the autumn months. The presence of bears, in particular, has heightened anxiety, prompting some residents to remain indoors at night and keep livestock close. Authorities in nearby towns argue that an extended hunting season for wild boars may be necessary to curb their growing numbers, which they say are drawing predators even farther into human settlements.

The trend is not confined to Greece. Across Europe, rising conflicts over predator conservation have prompted renewed political debate. Earlier this year, European Union lawmakers approved reduced protections for wolves across the bloc, following pressure from farming groups who say the animals pose a threat to rural livelihoods.

Experts in Greece note that the increase in wildlife sightings is driven not only by population growth but also by environmental pressures that push animals toward human habitation. Habitat fragmentation, widespread wildfires, drought conditions, noise from wind energy projects and declining human populations in remote villages all contribute to wildlife seeking food and shelter in areas once avoided. Abandoned fields, neglected orchards and unsecured waste create additional attractants.

Conservation groups emphasise that coexistence measures can significantly reduce conflict. Lighting around properties, secure livestock enclosures, proper waste management and avoiding feeding stray animals are among the strategies recommended. In rare cases of repeated aggression, authorities have resorted to removing individual animals, as occurred following a wolf attack on a child earlier this year.

Specialists caution against reactionary calls for widespread lethal control, arguing that such actions would not address the root causes of wildlife encroachment. With multiple environmental, social and ecological factors driving encounters, they stress the need for comprehensive management rather than simplistic solutions.

As Greece’s landscapes continue to transform and rural areas experience demographic change, communities and wildlife are being forced into increasingly close quarters. The challenge now lies in balancing the ecological success of recovering predator populations with the safety and stability of the people living alongside them.