Since the natural vegetation, in particular the forests of Crete, has not been preserved, the fauna of the island is poor in mammals, especially large ones, which were exterminated by man for several millennia. The continued isolation of Crete from Greek mainland has determined the uniqueness of its fauna.

Once, during the Pliocene, on the island lived dwarf elephants and hippopotamus, as evidenced by finds of their petrified bones. Today an endemic animal inhabits the island­­­­­­­ the goat Kri-kri. You can also meet a sufficient number of small mammals: the Cretan marten, Cretan badger, weasel and Cretan wild cat, which until recently was considered a completely extinct species. In forests live rabbits, hares and hedgehogs. Below are descriptions of some representatives of the animals native to the island.

The Kri-kri or agrimi (capra aegagrus creticus). Externally, these goats are quite imposing. They have skin of a noble brown color, and their darker coat around the neck forms an elegant scarf. The head of the males is decorated with two horns bent back. Once these goats were common on the islands of the Aegean Sea, but now there are not more than two thousand of them, and they mostly inhabit sheer rocks of Crete, preferring the White Mountains and the Samaria Gorge.

The donkey is one of the symbols of Greece: most recently it was possible to meet everywhere rural villagers riding on donkeys. Over the past 50 years, the number of donkeys has greatly decreased. Initially, the donkeys were used by man for riding and traction of carriages, but with the appearance of faster and stronger horses they were replaced by them: the use of the donkey was limited to the loading of the cargo. Donkeys are extremely hardy and able to stay for a very long time without water and food. Sometimes donkeys were used to get meat, milk and leather.

The Crete spiny mouse (acomys minous) is an endemic animal listed in the Red Book. Magnificently climbs trees and is very active: runs about 15 km per day. The spiny mouse being in danger lifts the prickly hairs of the wool, thereby becoming visually larger and more menacing, and thus frightening off the enemy. It’s unlikely to see the mouse, which hides in a hole in the daytime, waiting out the day’s heat.

Small lizard (podarcis erhardii). It has three characteristic ribbed folds on its back and is one of the most common reptiles of the island. In Greek symbolism, the lizard means divine wisdom and luck.

The Cretan marten (martes foina bunites) looks like a pine marten, but has a somewhat longer tail, a more elongated and angular head, and a patch on the neck. Body is long and slender. Paws are short with five fingers and retractable claws. The tail is covered with coarse hair; ears are widely spaced and triangular in shape. Feet on the legs are bare. The main body tone is gray-brown. On the throat is a white forked patch that can reach the front paws. It inhabits rocky mountains, caves and ravines.

The Cretan badger (meles meles arcalus) is of medium size. The body in length reaches 60-90 cm, the tail is 12-24 cm. Its weight is about 15-20 kg. The face of the badger is elongated and wedge-shaped. Ears and eyes are small and round. The neck is short, almost invisible. Extremities are short massive with broad paws. It is seen in Chania prefecture.

The Cretan wild cat (felis silvestris agrius) was first described in the literature in 1953. In ancient times the Cretans began to domesticate wild cats. Over time, some individuals returned to their natural habitat and again became wild. Until recently, the Cretan wild cat was considered a completely extinct species, but studies and observations brought joyful results: this species exists today. It is much more massive than a normal one, its fur is very thick and dense, and its distinctive feature is high activity in the daytime.

The Cretan hedgehog is like an ordinary hedgehog. On its feet are five fingers, the eyes are round, the ears are short, rounded, almost invisible because of the fur. The back and sides, excluding the muzzle and paws, are covered with needles. The fur is hard, bristly. On the breast is a fuzzy white spot. The head and sides are dark brown, much darker than the throat and abdomen. The size is small; its weight is 600-1200 gr. Inhabits deciduous forests and parks.

The Balkan whip snake (hierophis gemonensis, formerly known as coluber gemonensis) from the family of colubrids is a not venomous one, native to Crete. It is up to 1 m or less in length and is absolutely harmless to humans. If caught, it can bite you with fear, but the bite of this snake does not cause any problems. These cute snakes creep around the island. Usually they live in rocky areas near sea level and prefer warm places. But often these snakes can be found at altitudes up to 1400 m. Balkan whip snakes like to bask in the sun. They feed mainly on other reptiles, large insects, small mammals and young birds. These snakes are hunting on the ground, but, as a rule, they climb very cleverly through bushes and low trees. When this deft snake hangs motionless, it is difficult to distinguish it from a branch of a tree.

It is a real paradise for bird lovers. Migratory birds use the island as a stop place. Today this place is home to dozens of different birds, both very large and very small: quail, wild ducks, pigeons, partridges, brightly fledged hoopoes, European rollers, kingfishers. In the mountains of Crete you can see blue thrushes and rock nuthatch, a colony of alpine jackdaws and birds of prey: long-legged buzzard, a hawk, a golden eagle and a lammergeier, kites, black vultures, eagles, falcons. On the seacoasts there are endless flocks of seagulls, as well as cormorants, curly pelicans and storks. In the coastal floodplain meadows and reeds live nightingales and warblers. Near the streams and cliffs you can see the Sardinian warbler and the even rarer Menetries’s warbler.

In the woods you can find a green woodpecker, a rock bunting. In the city you can see several representatives of passerines – a stone sparrow, a canary finch, a Greek swallow. In addition to local species, the island is a temporary stop place of many migratory birds on its way from Africa to northern Europe.

Having come to Crete for the first time, one can immediately note the fact how closely the Cretans exist with animals. A good half of the population lives in the villages. Naturally, the villagers are engaged in livestock and agriculture. Sheep and goats graze freely on mountain slopes; they will meet you peacefully and affably without any fright, moreover, feeling themselves as full masters of this land.