Marine Crete
The most famous of these sea creatures is of course the octopus, of which there are still plenty around Crete, sea urchins and sponges, which are becoming much rarer, turtles, fish, squid, cuttlefish, dolphins, whales and seals.
Don’t forget the delicate creatures that also make up the marine ecological landscape, such as corals, sea horses, lobsters, crabs, eels, rays, shrimps, jelly fish, star fish, molluscs and sea snakes. The Mediterranean Monk Seal, Monachus monachus is one of the most critically endangered species in our oceans, and Crete is one of their natural habitats. There are fewer than 600 individuals surviving around the world. Seal hunting began in ancient times, peaked in Roman times and continued in the 20th Century. Because of their trusting nature, seals were easy prey for hunters using clubs, nets and spears. Today, the remaining seals seek refuge in inaccessible caves along remote coasts with cliffs. To learn more about all the sealife of Crete, take a visit to Aqua World on the north coast. Here you will see turtles, groupers, wrasse, eels, scorpion fish, weever fish, rays and a collection of native reptiles. Take this opportunity to get to know more about the wonderful marine life of Crete. Below you will see some of the inhabitants of Cretan waters, with their Greek and scientific names. The scorpion fish has poisonous spines that are dangerous to humans. Marine Crete - Species
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