Wildlife Watching in Crete 2025

Crete is proud of its wild goats named "Kri-Kri." You can find them just in a few isolated areas, in particular, in the Samaria National Park. And have you ever met a wildcat? Crete is very famous for its wildcats, and they are way larger than ordinary cats! These cats have bodies that can reach 50 cm in length with a 30 cm long tail; the fur colouring is light brown with dark spots. Usually, you can find wildcats on Mount Ida and also in the region of the White Mountains. Besides, you can see lots of hedgehogs, weasels, badgers, and many other mammals in Crete.

There are lots of eagles, swallows, cranes, pelicans, and butterflies as well. You will have a chance to see unique species of bats, namely the European free-tailed bat, the greater horseshoe bat, the lesser horseshoe bat, and Blasius's horseshoe bat.

Crete is home to sea turtles, including the green turtle, leatherback turtle, and the hawksbill sea turtle. Hiking is a great chance to see different lizards and snakes like the Balkan whip snake, cat snake, leopard snake, and many others. Don't worry, the snakes are usually harmless for humans. The cat snake is the one with venom, but the poison is too weak to cause damage to a human. The sea life in Crete is marvellous, lots of bottlenose dolphins, sperm whales, and Mediterranean monk seal await you.

From April until October are the best months to enjoy the wildlife in Crete. Spring is the time when the island awakens from winter and rains; the air is very fresh and everything is green, and animals are the most active. Besides, keep in your mind, Samaria's gorge, can be closed to visitors due to weather conditions around April when it's raining much or windy outside. That almost never happens in May and summer months.