site.btaEuropean Projects with Scientists from Thessaloniki Aim to Protect Fauna in Border Ecosystems, Sturgeon in Black Sea 

Environmental protection is among the permanent priorities of EU cross-border programmes. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki leverages its experience to participate in projects across both the Balkans and the Black Sea region.

One such project is BIO-INNOVATE, implemented under the INTERREG Greece-Bulgaria Programme. The project focuses on measures to protect the biodiversity of wildlife in the mountains along the Greek-Bulgarian border, with a budget just over EUR 700,000.

The project assesses wildlife and devises management practices to protect biodiversity in the cross-border mountain region, said Prof. Alexandros Theodoridis from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, adding that this concerns the Menikio Mountains in Drama Regional Unit and areas in Southwestern Bulgaria. 

He emphasized that the project aims to preserve the balance between biodiversity and agricultural activities in Prosotsani Municipality in Greece and Gotse Delchev Municipality in Bulgaria. The project seeks to preserve natural meadows with minimal human intervention and manage the overall diversity to ensure both the sustainability of the ecosystem and the agricultural and livestock systems in the region.

"Our [Greek] colleagues worked on the populations of wild horses in the border area in the Menikio Mountains in Prosotsani Municipality, and our colleagues from Bulgaria worked on the population of red deer and fallow deer on the Bulgarian side of the border," Theodoridis told BTA.

In order to track the populations of wild horses in the Menikio Mountains, the Greek scientists fitted two horses with collars, allowing them to track the animals' movements within the ecosystem. Researchers found that the area is home to two herds of wild horses, totalling some 70-75 animals.

Beyond its scientific findings, the project also includes a community-focused component. An augmented reality application, mobile applications and a leaflet in Greek, Bulgarian and English aimed at young children have been developed.

Sturgeon conservation project

Another project developed at the University of Thessaloniki, SturNet, aims for the conservation of sturgeon populations in the Black Sea basin. It has a budget of EUR 1.1 million and is part of the INTERREG Black Sea Basin Programme. The coordinator is the Foundation for Biodiversity Conservation in Bulgaria, headquartered in Burgas, Theodoridis said, adding that the project started in 2024 and will last 30 months.

The project aims to create a network for sturgeon protection and conservation, thereby contributing to the sustainability of the ecosystem in the Black Sea. Institutions from six countries are involved, including Bulgaria, Greece, Turkiye and Romania.

Theodoridis stressed that sturgeon, which is an endangered species, faces many threats related to water pollution, the destruction of waterways in the Black Sea ecosystems, illegal fishing and trade, and overfishing. There are also invasive species in the Black Sea that threaten sturgeon, Theodoridis noted.

The aim of the project participants is to locate the hotspots of sturgeon reproduction and concentration so that they can be protected. A digital mapping tool on an online platform will help stakeholders track sturgeon population concentrations. The project also sets out to create a network for cooperation among the countries.