By Josie  February 9th, 2023

Wildlife In

Wildlife In

Greece

Greece has so much more to offer on top of its stunning history and breath-taking coastal areas

Let's dive in:

There are over 900 different species of wildlife and over 5,000 species of flora within its borders.

Much of the country experiences a Mediterranean climate (hot, dry summers and winter rainfall), especially the islands.

Higher regions of the western and central parts of the country, and the mountainous parts of the Peloponnese, experience an Alpine climate.

Climate

It’s estimated that there are currently around 700 brown bears living in Greece.

Brown Bear

For the past five years, Callisto has been offering intrepid travelers the chance to track brown bears in the Pindos Mountains, and using tourism as a tool for conservation in the process.

The word “lynx” is thought to come from Greek mythology where Lynceus was said to be so keen sighted that he was able to see through the earth.

The Eurasian lynx is Europe’s third largest predator after brown bears and wolves.

Eurasian Lynx

The wolf plays an important role in Greek religions, but their roles vary enormously.

Gray Wolf

It is often related to the Greek gods Zeus, Apollo, Artemis and Letp; and they also seem to act as divine messengers of the gods, notably of Apollo.

Up until 1990, jackals were classified as a harmful species, and, as a result, dozens of them were killed each year.

Golden Jackal

WWF refers to the Golden Jackal as “a shy and misunderstood resident of the Greek countryside.”

Monk Seal

The Mediterranean monk seal is an earless seal of the tribe Monachini.

They are the only earless seals found in tropical climates.

In fact, it is in Greece where roughly half of the monk seal’s global population, 250 to 300 individuals, lives and breeds.

Loggerhead Turtle

Loggerhead turtles are the living relatives of a group of reptiles that have existed for a 100 million years.

The sex of Loggerhead hatchlings is determined by nest temperature: hot temperatures result in more females, and cool temperatures result in more males.

A basking shark is a harmless plankton-eating fish.

Its slow movements, large size and docile nature make it appear more like a whale than any form of man-eating shark.

Basking Shark

The most impressive feature of the basking shark is its mouth, which opens up to 3 feet wide.

As if Greece's pristine and turquoise waters wasn't enough, both its lands and seas are full of fascinating creatures. 

Swipe up for tips on wildlife-operators!

Let's continue our travels!

Yellow Wavy Line
Yellow Wavy Line