Santorini launches campaign to stop holidaymakers riding donkeys up village ...

A campaign is being launched to urge tourists to stop riding donkeys up steps on a Greek island. 

For decades, donkeys of Santorini have made four or five return journeys up 520 wide, cobbled steps on the cliff-side path that leads to the town of Fira. 

The plight of the donkeys, which are marched from fields at dawn in temperatures  regularly more than 86F, has been labelled  'Santorini's grubby little secret'.

In recent years there has been an increase in donkeys suffering spinal injuries, saddle sores and exhaustion. 

For decades, donkeys of Santorini have made four or five return journeys up 520 wide, cobbled steps on the switchback path that leads to the town of Fira

For decades, donkeys of Santorini have made four or five return journeys up 520 wide, cobbled steps on the switchback path that leads to the town of Fira

Now, activists in collaboration with the cruise-line industry, have set up the initiative in Santorini to inform holiday makers about the stress put on the animals. 

Nikos Zorzos, the island's mayor, told The Guadian: 'The campaign is about to start'.

'Representatives from the cruise liner association were here in my office this week promising to raise awareness [of the problem] and from our side we'll be distributing information leaflets. Our mules and donkeys are part of our tradition. Younger owners, especially, have understood that they need to be looked after.'

The animals have long been used to ferry people from the Santorini's port to its main settlement.

The plight of the donkeys which are marched from fields at dawn in temperatures regularly more than 86F has been labelled 'Santorini's grubby little secret'

The plight of the donkeys which are marched from fields at dawn in temperatures regularly more than 86F has been labelled 'Santorini's grubby little secret'

When the five-cabin cable car was introduced on the island, donkeys were used less frequently by travellers ascending the steps.

But when the volcanic isle became a popular tourist hot-spot, attracting up to 17,000 holiday makers each day from cruise-ships, demand for the donkey rides increased.   

The animals who walk up in lines of two to ten, offload at a 'donkey station' just before the summit of the steps and then return for their next load, often bumping into walkers or squeezing them into walls that look over steep drops.

Santorini,

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