Residents on edge after home security camera captures footage of wild predators lurking outside front door — here are the details

A home security camera near Thessaloniki, Greece, captured a wolf pack hanging around a residential area.

What happened?

An individual's home security camera captured a pack of five wolves approaching the front door during the night before the animals eventually left. The same wolves returned the next morning. Both incidents left area residents alarmed.

According to Tovima.com, the area where the wolves appeared is historically known as "Lykorema" or "Wolf Stream," and has a history of wildlife sightings, though not necessarily of wolves. 

Per the news outlet, the recent sighting followed another lone wolf sighting in a residential area of Athens.

Why are the wolf sightings in Greece concerning?

Wolves are gorgeous creatures, but these animals are definitely not what one wants to find outside their front door. They also aren't animals you want hanging around if you have outdoor pets or run a ranch or farm, as wolf attacks on livestock and pets have seen an uptick lately. 

Wolf sightings aren't the only human-wildlife encounters that are becoming more common. Schools in Minnesota went into lockdown because a mountain lion was nearby, while a woman in India suffered minor injuries after a bear attack in a residential area. 

The encounters can prove harmful to humans, leading to injury or even death, but they can also be very dangerous for the animals involved. 

When a wild animal attacks, wildlife authorities often track the animal down and euthanize it. As some wolf species are currently endangered or have declining populations, euthanization of even some individuals could prove disastrous for them. 

Why have human-wildlife encounters been on the rise? There are various explanations. Habitat loss, the depletion of natural resources, extreme weather, and food scarcity have driven many wildlife species to migrate. When they migrate, they often end up in areas heavily populated by humans, leading to more human-wildlife encounters and more potential for animal attacks.

What's being done about wolves in Greece?

Forest service employees, along with members of the environmental organization Callisto, visited the area in Thessaloniki where the wolves appeared. They assessed the situation to ensure residents' safety. Meanwhile, authorities in the area of the lone wolf sighting issued guidelines to help keep residents safe.

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