Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd has submitted a formal scientific proposal to the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy for the protection of the coastal marine area of Liri, South East Pelion, based on field data collected since 2023, complemented by records from BiodiversityGR covering 2018 to 2022.

Despite its ecological significance, the area is under repeated pressure from professional and recreational fishermen who set nets directly adjacent to the breeding caves, placing both seal pups and stingrays at serious risk of entanglement and disturbance.
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Our proposal includes six specific requests: designation as a Wildlife Refuge, a 300-metre fishing exclusion zone around the caves during the pupping season, a permanent ban on fishing gear near the cave entrances year-round, official signage and notices to local fishing communities, inclusion in the national registry of critical elasmobranch habitats, and a formal monitoring mandate for Merman Conservation in the area.

Today, we took an important step to protect one of Europe’s most iconic species—the wolf. Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd. submitted an urgent appeal to EU delegates attending the 44th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention, urging them to oppose the proposal to downlist the wolf from Appendix II to Appendix III.

This decision, if approved, would weaken protections for wolves across Europe, making it easier to hunt and kill them. Such a change risks undoing decades of conservation progress and jeopardizes the ecological balance that wolves help maintain.

Why This Matters

​Wolves play a critical role in our ecosystems. By controlling herbivore populations, they prevent overgrazing and help maintain healthy landscapes. Yet, despite their ecological importance, the wolf is far from secure. A 2022 report by the Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe (LCIE) revealed that only three of Europe’s nine wolf subpopulations are classified as “Least Concern.” The rest remain vulnerable or in danger.

The proposal to downlist the wolf is not supported by scientific evidence. Studies from around the world, including the USA, Spain, Italy, and Slovakia, have shown that increased hunting disrupts wolf pack structures, potentially leading to more livestock attacks—not fewer.

• USA: Wielgus & Peebles (2014) found that wolf mortality often leads to more livestock depredations.
• Spain: Fernández-Gil et al. (2016) showed that conflicts mislead management efforts, emphasizing the importance of coexistence.
• Italy: Imbert et al. (2016) revealed factors driving wolves to prey on livestock, underscoring the need for preventive measures.
• Slovakia: Kutal et al. (2024) demonstrated that public wolf hunting failed to reduce livestock losses.

Preventive measures, such as fencing, guarding dogs, and increased human presence, have proven far more effective in reducing conflicts between wolves and livestock.

Public Opinion Is Clear

A recent survey of public opinion on wolf conservation underscores widespread support for maintaining strict protections:

• 71% of respondents across EU Member States favor keeping the wolf's current protection status.
• Only 29% support downgrading it.

Even in rural communities most affected by wolf presence, there is a strong preference for coexistence measures over culling.

Our Message to Delegates

​In our appeal, we emphasized that weakening the wolf’s protection status could set a dangerous precedent for other strictly protected species. The Bern Convention is a cornerstone of Europe’s biodiversity conservation efforts, and downgrading the wolf’s status would contradict its mission during a critical period of climate change and biodiversity loss.

We called on delegates to:

• Reject the downlisting proposal to ensure the wolf remains strictly protected.
• Promote coexistence by supporting effective, non-lethal measures for livestock protection.
• Champion biodiversity by upholding the goals of the EU Green Deal and the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework.

Merman Conservation Expeditions Ltd proudly stands alongside fellow conservation advocates to sign the open letter urging WHO to prioritize spillover prevention in the Pandemic Agreement! 📜

At the heart of the issue lies the need to address drivers of zoonotic disease emergence, notably wildlife trade & markets. 🐾

Despite fading from public discourse, the risk remains high: 1.7 million viruses could infect humans, emphasizing the need for proactive measures. 🦠

CITES addresses wildlife trade impact on species survival, but not the health risks to humans or animals. We need a more comprehensive approach! 🐒🦇

Investing in primary prevention now can save huge costs in the long run, as demonstrated by the mere 2% of expenses during COVID-19 spent on prevention efforts. 💰

It's time for governments to take decisive action to reduce the risk of future pandemics and protect current & future generations. 🌏

We urge the WHO to heed scientific advice and prioritize spillover prevention, including regulating wildlife trade & markets, in the Pandemic Agreement. 📢

Let's work together to safeguard global health! 🤝 #PandemicPrevention #WildlifeTrade #WHOAgreement