Fauna
Greece's wildlife is surprisingly diverse — from the brown bear in Northern Greece to the sea turtle off Zakynthos.
On Land
- Brown bears: About 450 animals in the Pindos Mountains and at the Bulgarian border. The Arcturos bear sanctuary near Florina rescues orphaned and mistreated bears.
- Wolves: About 1,000 animals in Northern Greece. Shy, sightings are extremely rare.
- Jackals: Golden jackals are spreading in Northern Greece — nocturnal, harmless.
- Kri-Kri wild goats: Endemic wild goat species on Crete — only about 2,500 animals left, mainly in the Samaria Gorge and on small offshore islands.
- Turtles: Greek tortoises are found everywhere in the countryside — on hiking trails, in olive groves, along roadsides. Be careful when driving!
- Birds of prey: Griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures, golden eagles — especially in the gorges of Crete and Zagori.
In the Sea
- Caretta-Caretta: The loggerhead sea turtle nests on Greek beaches (Zakynthos, Peloponnese, Crete, Kefalonia). The nesting beaches are strictly protected — no lights, no noise, no sunbeds after sunset.
- Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus): One of the rarest mammals in the world — only about 700 animals left, about half of them in Greek waters. The Northern Sporades (Alonnisos Marine Park) are their most important refuge.
- Dolphins: Common dolphins, striped dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins — sightings are frequent, especially between the islands.