Animals of Crete
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Native animals are rare due to the reduced habitat on the island, clearing has had a profound effect on the ecology of the island, and the dry Mediterreanean soil and forests take a long time to regenerate. |
The island is now dominated by grazing and agriculture; mostly olive and grape production. There are also a growing number of hot houses for other vegetables such as tomatoes and bananas. These traditional agricultural areas don’t hold much habitat for native animals and birds.
Hunting has also had a profound effect on both mammal and bird populations, and is still common today although protected by law. The Cretan character does not bend well to legislation and the message is not getting through to everybody regarding the low populations of many creatures still hunted in the mountains.
Below we will focus on the native animals of Crete.
Animals of Crete - Kri Kri goats
The most famous of the Cretan animals is the mountain goat named the Kri Kri Capra aegagrus creticus.
These goats are thought to have been brought from Persia thousands of years ago. Most zoologists now treat the goat as native to Crete, and make a distinction between the Kri Kri and domestic goats.
Kri Kri Capra aegagrus creticus
Animals of Crete - Cretans identify strongly with the mountain goat in his independent, tough chaacter that can survive in the rugged Cretan mountians. The Kri Kri is known as the "wild one" agrimi, αγρίμι. Many symbols of the Kri Kri and names in their honour can be found in Crete. For example the symbol of the Natural History Museum of Crete, above, shows the Kri Kri.
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The Kri Kri is a protected species and in 1962 the Samaria Gorge National Park was declared in part to protect these mountain goat herds. Population programs have also been undertaken on some of the larger Cretan islands such as Dia, north of Iraklion, and Thodorou, opposite Plakias and Agii Pandes. |
The conservation status of the Kri Kri is "vulnerable". The threats to its population are human disturbance such as recreation/tourism, which is currently ongoing, harvesting such as hunting/gathering which is also ongoing and changes in native species dynamics, such as breeding with other goats, which is also ongoing.
Both of Greece’s only two native mammal species are found on Crete – the Cretan Shrew and the Cretan Spiny Mouse.
Other mammals found on the island are the Cretan marten, badger and dormouse. There are also many reptiles, frogs, insects and molluscs adding to the ecology of the island. There are no deadly snakes, and although scorpion stings in Crete can be very painful to humans, they are not fatal.
Acrotiri Park
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" There are small mammals such as hares Lepus europaeus, hedgehogs Erinaceus concolor, beech martens Martes foina, badgers Meles meles, least weasels Mustela nivalis, rats and mice Rattus sp. and Mus sp. and bats Tadarida sp., Rhinolophus sp. Pipistrellus sp., Plecotus sp..
The reptiles European cat snake Telescopus fallax, Balkan green lizard Lacerta trilineata Erhard's wall lizard Podarcis erhardii are also encountered in the Park. "
Below is a location map of the Acrotiri Park:
For more information see www.park.tuc.gr
Wild Cat
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Fourogatos |
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Animals of Crete
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Kri Kri - Capra aegagrus creticus |
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Spiny Mouse of Crete - Acomys minous |
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Lesser White Toothed Shrew - Crocidura suaveolens |
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Beech Marten - Martes foina |
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Badger - Meles meles |
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Emporor Dragonfly - Anax imperator |
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Cretan Frog - Pelophylax cretensis |
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Leopard Snake - Zamenis situla |
Discover the animals of Crete on your walks and hikes in Crete, see our ecology and conservation pages here...
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Leave only footprints when you walk and hike in Crete - take all your rubbish with you and don't build any of those silly piles of rocks. Leave it as you found it for the local animals. |
Bird Watching in Crete
Raptors and other birds can be seen in many areas of Crete. Cliffs and mountains are home to the Bearded Vulture - above - as well as Golden Eagles, Griffon Vultures and the Peregrine Falcon.
Mount Koutroulis, Mount Agios Dikaios and Modia Plateau in south-western Crete are an important biotope for the rare Bearded Vulture.
The Bramiana Reservoir inland from Ierapetra is a good spot to see all birds of Crete, especially birds of prey as well as gulls and migratory birds. Keep your eyes alert to see Eleanora's Falcon.
Our bird page shows you some of the best birding locations in Crete from west to east as well as a list of the most common birds and their scientific names.
Getting Here
Animals of Crete - to get to Crete, you can fly from Athens with Olympic Air or Aegean Airlines, there are many flights per day between spring and autumn.
The flight time is 1 hour and you can choose to arrive into Heraklion Airport (code HER) or Chania Airport (code CHQ).
The ferries depart from Pireaus port of Athens daily - the journey time is around 9 hours and you can choose between Souda Port (Chania) or Heraklion Port.
More information for these services is below.
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