Greece: Vets on standby at Dadia National Park to help injured animals

Teams of veterinarians and volunteers are on standby to locate and help injured animals as soon as a massive wildfire in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park in northeastern Greece is brought under control.

According to Deputy Environment Minister Giorgos Amiras, animal conservation organizations and teams from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki’s School of Veterinary Medicine have set up camp on the outskirts of the Natura 2000 site to begin offering their services as soon as they are given the all-clear.

The Fire Service on Thursday said that the blaze, which started last Saturday and has burned through thousands of hectares of pristine forest and valuable habitats, is close to being brought under control.

Amiras was speaking after a successful operation to remove two white-winged Egyptian vulture chicks from their nest in the park. Only five pairs of these rare vultures exist in Greece, and all are in the same area.

The chicks will be returned to their natural habitat when it’s safe.

The Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park is home to several endangered, vulnerable and newar threatened bird species.

Source: ekathimerini.com