Wild animal filmed at Neos Marmaras beach; DNA sample sent for identification

A wild animal was filmed on the early hours of Sunday on the beach at Neos Marmaras, on the eastern side of Sithonia, raising alarm among residents and visitors after several recent attacks in the same area.

The encounter occurred near a sports ground when a young woman who had finished her shift around 2:00 a.m. went for a night swim. As she approached the water she noticed an animal a few steps ahead and at first thought it was a dog; she managed to move away and was not attacked.

Footage published online shows an animal whose appearance most closely resembles a golden jackal, though specialists caution that a conclusive identification cannot be made from the recording alone. Experts note, "I cannot say for certain whether this is a wolf or a jackal."

Authorities send DNA sample for analysis

Concern has grown because the sighting came only days after two recorded attacks on people in Neos Marmaras. In one earlier case, a 46-year-old man suffered neck injuries; in another incident, a two-year-old child was wounded and rushed to the University Hospital "Hippokratio" in Thessaloniki.

Officials took a DNA sample that was sent to the Laboratory of Genetics at the Department of Biology of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUT). The test aims to determine whether the animal is a jackal or a wolf and whether it is linked to a previous attack on a five-year-old girl in the same area in September 2025.

So far it has not been confirmed whether the animal in the recent video is the same one behind earlier incidents, but the recording is further evidence that a wild animal has been moving unafraid near people at night, increasing anxiety among locals and tourists.

Photo: press material from the event