Wandering cows test a rural region's patience

A malnourished cow sits in the middle of the road near Gerolimenas, unable to get up. Loose cattle roaming southern Greece's Mesa Mani region have become a growing safety hazard. The animals, believed to belong to local herders who let them graze freely to cut feeding costs, have caused crop damage and traffic accidents. A local businessman said a cow smashed into his car at night while his child rode in the back seat: 'Fortunately, I wasn't speeding,' he said. A doctor described a similar crash on the Areopoli-Gerolimenas road on August 18, writing on Facebook that the collision was 'unavoidable' though no one was hurt. A farmer estimated 200 stray cattle roam the area, many without identification tags. Under Greek law, managing unsupervised livestock falls to the Municipality of Eastern Mani, which did not respond to Kathimerini's inquiry. Residents raised welfare concerns, citing malnourished, wandering animals.