Although an illegal act punishable by law since decades, the use of poison baits continues to be very common in Greece. Extremely harmful for wildlife, this practice is also especially damaging for the life of the Greek countryside.
Scavenger bird species, such as vultures and raptors, foxes, bears as well as other species that feed on carcasses, either exclusively or opportunistically, are mostly affected by the illegal use of poison baits. However, not only wildlife is harmed. Working dogs (shepherd dogs and hunting dogs) are severely afflicted by this practice.
The data collected from various incidents reflect on a wide variety of types of poison baits used, ranging from a piece of meat, bone or fat to a whole animal carcass, depending on the targeted species while there is a wide range of chemical substances used, usually legal or banned pesticides.
Whichever their shape or form, all poison baits share one common characteristic:
THEY DON’T DISCRIMINATE.
Rare species are driven to extinction, dozens of working animals such as shepherd or hunting dogs as well as stray animals die every year from poisoning while public health is put at risk because of the high toxicity of the substances used.
Together, we can STOP the poisoning of the Greek countryside. The antidote is in our hands.
