Municipalities
Geographical size
Human population
Number of livestock farmers
Livestock farming systems
Large carnivore species
Bear population
Wolf population
SOCIOECONOMIC CONTEXT
Prespa is a biodiversity-rich “laboratory of nature.” Its remarkable variety and richness of endemic species stem largely from the area’s history of geographical and political isolation. Difficult terrain and its status as a borderland restricted access until the 1970s.
Traditional agriculture, stockbreeding, and fishing form the backbone of the local economy, gradually complemented by tourism. Farmers mainly cultivate the internationally recognised Prespa giant beans, which have long provided the main source of income, while fishing has also sustained lakeside communities. Tourism builds on the region’s cultural heritage, including historical and religious monuments, and its iconic wetland ecosystem, which supports a slow growth of nature-based tourism.
Pastoralism faces mounting pressures. Local stockbreeders struggle to balance income needs with protected area restrictions, limited access to resources, and coexistence with large carnivores. Nationwide trends of an ageing farmer population, low generational renewal, and limited employment opportunities amplify these challenges, driving youth outmigration. These demographic challenges are further worsened by climate change and a rapid drop in lake water levels, which have severely affected the wetland ecosystem and local livelihoods over the past decade, placing traditional sources of income at risk.
FARMING CONTEXT
Livestock farming in Prespa is traditional, extensive and low intensity, often integrated into mixed crop-and-livestock holdings. The area is home to the rare, indigenous Prespa Shorthorn cattle, well adapted to mountainous and wetland grazing. Herds traditionally move to summer pastures in higher elevations. Extensive free-range grazing contributes significanty to the local economy and landscape management, maintaining open habitats and supporting biodiversity, particularly in wetland–mountain ecotones. Despite its cultural and ecological value, the sector is in steep decline. In the Regional Unit of Florina (2009–2020), cattle holdings fell by 40%, sheep by 25%, and goats by 35%, with many farms abandoned annually.
Main Challenges:
- Limited access to markets and infrastructures (e.g. slaughterhouses etc.).
- Protected area restrictions linked to the national park status.
- Ageing farmer population, low generational renewal, continued outmigration.
- Predation by bears and wolves, causing economic strain and emotional stress on herders.
- Dissatisfaction with ELGA’s compensation scheme.
- Declining profitability, dependency on EU subsidies, and economic scandals (e.g. OPEKEPE).
- Restrictions from recent outbreaks of sheep and goat pox (2025) and PPR (2024).
- African Swine Fever is starting to affect carnivore populations, especially bears, indirectly influencing livestock predation patterns.
LOCAL CONFLICT ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE CARNIVORES
Number of attacks:
ELGA (the Greek Agricultural Insurance Organisation) is a public benefit organisation responsible for compensating for agricultural damage caused by natural phenomena, including attacks by wild animals such as wolves and bears. In 2022, ELGA recorded 43 compensation claims in Prespa: 35 for bear damage to bean fields and eight for livestock losses caused by bears and wolves. However, the actual number is likely higher, as many incidents do not meet ELGA’s criteria or are never reported, due to widespread dissatisfaction with the scheme. On the upside, some farmers have started to invest in preventive measures, such as electric fences.
Social conflict:
- Most attacks occur during free-range grazing, though predators may enter farm facilities. In May 2025, a bear with four juveniles destroyed a stable, dispersing the animals, many of which were never recovered. Such incidents have intensified negative attitudes towards bears.
- Poison baits killing shepherd dogs, leaving flocks vulnerable.
- During 2024‑2025, African swine fever decimated the wild boar population, creating an abundance of carrion. Bears feeding on the carcasses appear larger, have bigger litters, and exhibit increased livestock depredation, which heightens tensions.
- Subsidy scandals have eroded trust in institutions, leaving breeders feeling exposed and falsely accused.
- Sheep-goat pox control measures (lockdowns, mandatory culling) cause prolonged anxiety and uncertainty.
- Wolves preying on hunting dogs are aggravating the conflict.
- Illegal killings of carnivores occur: bears are poisoned, wolves are shot, and there are cases of mother bears being killed for cub trafficking.
Overall, conflict remains intense and multidimensional, encompassing ecological pressures, economic losses, and deep social tensions.
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