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A severely burned tortoise, rescued from a Greek wildfire, squiggles in an Athens animal clinic despite receiving numerous painkillers—it’s one of the latest casualties of climate change wreaking havoc on the nation’s wildlife. Most of the scorched scales on its shell had to be removed with forceps. “It was very depressed and gasping for breath because of the smoke,” explained veterinarian Grigorios Markakis. Although “it’s considerably better now,” the prognosis remains grim, he added to AFP. “If the entire shell is burned, just imagine what happened inside… All the internal organs would be dysfunctional.”
At just 28 years old, Markakis dedicates his time to caring for orphaned, injured, or ill animals—ranging from hedgehogs and snakes to storks—at a first-aid station run by Greece’s wildlife protection organization, Anima. The NGO has seen a dramatic increase in animal admissions, primarily driven by climate change, which scientists link to longer, more intense heatwaves worldwide that ignite wildfires and pose additional risks to wildlife across the globe.
This past summer, Greece experienced several massive forest fires amid soaring temperatures, particularly around Athens and in the western Peloponnese. Authorities estimate that approximately 45,000 hectares, or about 111,200 acres, were consumed by flames this year. Nikos Georgiadis of the World Wildlife Fund Greece notes, “These fires are now more difficult to control and often wipe out large areas of vital habitat, directly killing animals and displacing countless others.” He adds, “Prolonged droughts, higher temperatures, and forest dieback all degrade ecosystems, diminish food and water sources, and make survival tougher for many species.”
Staff at Anima have reported a growing number of animals brought in due to the relentless heat. Anna Manta, a team member, said, “More animals are being brought here than ever before.” She explained, “Most animals become exhausted or are forced to leave their nests prematurely,” and many young birds are jumping from their nests, “essentially roasted alive.” During a searing heatwave in July, with temperatures exceeding 104°F (40°C), Anima admitted 1,586 animals. In June alone, 2,125 animals were rescued—almost 300 more than during the same period last year. “We thought last year was our worst yet,” Manta said, “until June.”
Many of these animals are juvenile vultures, emaciated and exhausted from the heat. Manta explained, “In Crete, they struggle to find water, often swimming to the sea to drink, which poisons them because they can’t process the salt.” The team administers medicine and fluids over several days, then places the birds in outdoor cages to socialize before releasing them back into the wild after roughly six months. One juvenile griffon vulture had just been given IV fluids when it was carried outside—its caregiver grimaced as lice crawled off the weakened bird. Markakis emphasized that climate change also influences microorganisms and parasites, potentially increasing disease transmission since these organisms can survive longer in warming conditions.
In a corner of the clinic, a long-eared owl perched on a computer monitor watched as Maria Ganoti, Anima’s president, typed. When she began, the owl turned to look directly at her keyboard with its striking orange eyes. Later, the bird also observed as people brought in a shoebox containing a quail attacked by cats and a fox hit by a car—growing concerns as incidents involving wildlife and urban areas increase. Georgiadis pointed out that habitat destruction and urban sprawl into forests are pushing animals like foxes into cities, leading to more encounters.
Markakis recalled one of his most cherished moments: treating and releasing a cub with severe head trauma back into its natural environment. “I gave it one last look, opened the cage door, and watched it disappear instantly—without so much as a thank you,” he said, smiling. “That feeling is pure magic.”
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