Reptiles

The Greek tortoise (scient. Testudo graeca) or spur-thighed tortoise is a species of land turtle, which has been introduced to the island of Crete by humans and has survived with remarkable ease. It is found near the wetlands of the island and in shady humid forests.

The Moorish Wall Gecko (scient. Tarentola mauritanica) is a small species of lizard that reaches a total length of 16cm and can be found on the island of Crete.

The wall lizard of Crete (scient. Podarcis cretensis) is the only endemic species of lizard on the island, which was identified as a seperate species (from Podarcis erhardii) just a few years ago.

The gecko of Kotschy (scient. Mediodactylus kotschyi) is a common lizard species on Crete, which is very similar to the previous two, but belongs to a separate species. The major difference of this lizard with the other two gecko species mentioned is that it has a thin body and its fingers do not have suction cups.

The leatherback turtle (scient. Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest reptile in the world, with its shell growing up to 250cm and its weight, sometimes, exceeding 900kg. Infrequent appearances of the species have been reported in Greece (and in Crete), while there has not been reported any case of breeding on Greek beaches.

In Crete it is found anywhere there is fresh or brackish water. You'll see them sunning on the banks of rivers. When you approach their area, they disappear before you know it making a loud "plop". Crete is warm enough for them so they remain active throughout the year, but in times of drought they may get buried in the mud and hibernate during the summer.

The marginated tortoise (scient. Testudo marginata) is the largest European tortoise, reaching a weight of up to 5 kg and a length of 35 cm. It is not native species of Crete, although fossils have been found on the island. However, more and more domestic tortoises appear in the Cretan countryside, as they escape from their homes.

The green sea turtle (scient. Chelonia mydas) has been met very rarely in the Greek seas and there are no indications for nesting on Greek shores. It is also found rarely off the Cretan seas and is the largest sea turtle with hard shell in the world.