The short-horned cow of the Cretan breed today has many cows mainly in the Drakona area of the White Mountains and until recently was considered almost extinct..
Crete is isolated from other continental regions of Europe, Asia and Africa and this is reflected on the genetic diversity of the island’s fauna. From the proud Cretan ibex, the wildcat and the Cretan shrew to the endemic arthropods and bats, the fauna of Crete hides many secrets about the evolution of species in the Eastern Mediterranean.
On the island there are no animals that could harm humans. The ancestors of the Cretans attributed this either to a labor of Hercules in order to honor the birthplace of Zeus, Crete, or to the blessings of Paul the Apostle, who spent two years in Crete.
Avifauna of Crete is considered one of the richest in Europe, home to over 350 bird species. Cretan mountains host the highest insular population of vultures in the world, while along with Corsica, Crete hosts the last couples of lammergeiers in the Mediterranean.
