Humans share the Earth with many other life forms, and a great variety of them exist on Crete. As you rendezvous with various plants and animals during your stay in Gavalochori, you will find some to be familiar and some not. This section is designed to introduce you to the varieties of life in the Gavalochori area.
There are almost 2,000 species of plants on Crete, with almost 200 of them native and exclusive to Crete. The variety of plants on Crete is due to a number of factors, one of which is its geographic position, which permitted the island to receive plant contributions from both central Europe and what is now Turkey.
Plants on Crete are hardy because they have to be. Only those adapted to harsh and taxing conditions survive the summer. They must be able to withstand searing temperatures, drying winds, and bright light.
This section is not designed to provide a complete taxonomy of plants on Crete. Instead it makes note of a few of the trees, flowers, and herbs that you are likely to encounter in and near Gavalochori. The plants you will see, of course, depend on when you come to Crete. Those on the list were chosen because they are spectacular or unusual in some way, are commonly seen, or because visitors often wonder what they are.
This small, compact shrub (Origanum Dictamnus) with a soft woolly covering of white-gray hair grows only on Crete, usually at great heights and on steep cliffs. The ancient Greeks believed this herb was the gift of the goddess of hunting, Artemis, who used it to cure the wounds she sometimes carelessly made with her arrows. Dittany was used during Minoan times—dittany seeds were found during excavations of Knossos, and images of the plant appear on pottery from that time. It is one of the most important healing herbs of antiquity and is known to relieve symptoms of cough, digestive problems, minor skin inflammations, and bruises. It also kills bacteria and is high in antioxidants. Dittany is often associated with love and is sometimes considered an aphrodisiac because only those who are genuinely in love will risk their lives by climbing the steep cliffs and rocks where it grows to cut and offer the herb to their loved ones. Dittany’s leaves and light-purple blossoms are used to make herbal tea that is available for sale in markets throughout Crete. Because dittany is considered endangered, its wild collection is now banned, but it is commercially cultivated.
From the carrot family and a native of Southern Europe, the edible fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) has yellow flowers that appear in June and July amid feathery, soft green leaves. The flowers, leaves, and bulbs all can be eaten and have a sweet anise flavor. The ancient Greeks used fennel as a medicine, a food, a hunger suppressant, and an insect repellent, and a fennel tea was believed to give courage to warriors prior to battle. According to Greek mythology, Prometheus used a giant stalk of fennel to carry fire from Mount Olympus to Earth.
Lavender (Lavandula dentata) is a small evergreen shrub with purple flowers sparsely arranged on spikes at the tips of long bare stalks. A member of the mint family and native to the Mediterranean region, lavender is one of the most aromatic plants and is valued for its fragrant flowers and oil that are used in cooking, cosmetics, and in the making of potpourris. The ancient Greeks scented their bathing water with lavender, employed it as an insect repellent, and considered it an antidote to plant poisons. Medical benefits of lavender include improving sleep quality, healing skin blemishes, pain relief, reducing blood pressure, and alleviating the symptoms of asthma.
From the mint family and a native of the hills of the Mediterranean region and western Asia, oregano (Origanum vulgare) blooms with purple flowers throughout the summer on Crete. The ancient Greeks believed that oregano was created by the goddess Aphrodite and used the herb not only for cooking but to crown bridal couples and to bring peace to the departed. They also chewed it to ease the symptoms of rheumatism, indigestion, coughs, colds, diarrhea, and toothache. The herb is widely used in Greek cuisine, including classic lamb dishes and, of course, as the topping on Greek salads.
A shrub with fragrant, evergreen needle-like leaves and a strong, refreshing scent, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) bushes can grow as tall as 2 meters (6 feet) on Crete. It is native to the Mediterranean region, and its mauve-blue flowers bloom from November to May. Legend claims that Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, created the plant, which became a symbol of fidelity. As a result, lovers used to exchange sprigs of rosemary to promise loyalty and faithfulness. Rosemary also symbolizes remembrance and may be used in funerals to commemorate the deceased. The plant is seen to have numerous medicinal uses, and the ancient Greeks and Romans wore crowns of rosemary to enliven the mind and improve the memory. It is used as an addition in perfumes and cosmetics and is valued as a seasoning for lamb, pork, and fish. Many dishes that you can order in tavernas in and around Gavalochori feature rosemary as a seasoning. The Arismari taverna in Gavalochori is named for this plant—the word arismari is a term from the old Cretan dialect for “rosemary.”
A shrub that has yellow star-shaped flowers with long, showy stamens in the center, St. John’s Wort (Hypericum empetrifolium) blooms in the early summer on Crete. Its flowers are made into an herbal oil but putting them in a jar, covering them with olive oil, and leaving them in direct sunlight for a month or so. The oil will then have turned a ruby red, and after straining, it is stored in a dark cupboard. It is used both to treat burns, sores, and muscle aches (the Spartans were known for using this oil to care for wounds after battle) as well as to treat, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. It is probably called St. John’s Wort because it blooms around the time of the celebration of the birth of Saint John on June 24.
An intensely aromatic herb and a natural antiseptic, thyme (Coridothymus capitatus) has bright purple flowers that bloom from late June into August on Crete. The ancient Greeks knew thyme to be an invigorating herb and believed it inspired courage. They also used thyme leaves and flowers to perfume their bathwater, and those who smelled like thyme were assumed to be elegant and refined. Thyme is used in a variety of Mediterranean dishes and is the herb that gives much of Cretan honey its special taste.
A fast-growing perennial that is often used as a ground cover, the African daisy (Osteospermum ecklonis) from South Africa can form a wide mat up to 1.5 meters (5 feet). Although it is called a daisy and is often mistaken for one because its petals radiate from a center disk, just like daisies do, it belongs to a different family. Its vivid coloring definitely distinguishes it from daisies. In fact, many people think the flowers must be dyed because the red, purple, yellow, orange, and coral colors of its varieties are so intense and striking. Around Gavalochori, you will see bright purple or white African daisies blooming from the autumn through the spring.
An herb from South Africa, this plant has become naturalized through the Mediterranean region and is now considered a weed. In the spring, you will see dense carpets of these bright yellow flowers with shamrock-like leaves covering the floor of olive groves around Gavalochori. The flowers are only open during the day and close up at night. The plant is edible, and because of the oxalic acid in its sap that gives the plant a tart flavor, it is also known as sour grass. Less than 50 centimeters (20 inches) tall, the Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae) grows from an underground bulb, which makes it difficult to irradicate. Cretans are lucky, though, in this regard—the plant disappears by itself once the warm weather of summer arrives.
Also called the crane flower, the bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is named for its resemblance to the showy forest bird called the bird of paradise. Dramatic and spectacular and with a subtropical feel, the plant has iridescent orange and blue petals that are fused together and emerge from a main flower shaped like a boat. A native of South Africa and a member of the banana family (its waxy leaves are very similar to those of the banana), it grows 1 to 1.5 meters (3 to 5 feet) high.
The exotic-looking bottlebrush (Melaleuca viminalis) is a native of Australia. Its flamboyant bright red cylindrical spikes bloom during spring and into the early summer in Gavalochori. The “brush” is a collection of individual blooms, and the showy parts of the blossom are actually stamens—the flowers are small and inconspicuous. On Crete, bottlebrush bushes can become trees, growing as tall as 5 meters (18 feet).
Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea) is the quintessential plant of Greece, providing a mass of intense color as it climbs walls and hangs from fences. You will see quite a few bougainvillea adorning the houses and gardens of Gavalochori. The plants are typically rose or deep magenta, but now many colors of bougainvillea are available. Its main attraction is its very bright and profuse paper-like flowers. These “flowers” are actually bracts that surround each flower, which is tubular in shape and quite small. Native to Brazil, the bougainvillea was discovered in the 1760s in Rio de Janeiro by French botanist Philibert Commerson, who was known as a somewhat eccentric and compulsive collector of plants. The plant is named after his friend Louis A. De Bougainville, a sea captain, lawyer, and mathematician.
You will see white calla lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) in the Gavalochori area in April and May, often growing along the banks of streams but also in many gardens. Greek mythology explains their origin: Zeus’s affair with a mistress produced his son, Hercules, and Zeus took the baby to his wife while she was sleeping and allowed Hercules to drink her milk. When she awoke, she pushed Hercules away and, in that moment, drops of milk flew across the sky and created the Milky Way. The drops that fell to the ground became calla lilies. On Crete, the calla lilies you see are white, surrounding a yellow spike in their centers, but in other areas and particularly in South Africa, where they are native, you can also find them in orange, pink, purple, red, and yellow. Calla lilies are not real lilies but are members of the Arum family, so they are sometimes called Arum lilies. They are associated both with Easter and with the sixth wedding anniversary. Calla lilies die back in the summer, so if you are vacationing on Crete then, you will miss these elegant flowers.
Also known as coral plant, coral fountain plant, and fountainbush, this plant (Russelia equisetiformis) is a native of Mexico. It looks like a fountain of green stems covered in orange-red tubular flowers that cascade down in lengths as long as one meter (four feet). Flowers cover the plant from late spring until fall, but it can flower all year round in tropical and subtropical climates. You can usually see one of these plants in a pot outside of the Folklore Museum in Gavalochori.
A huge and dramatic plant, giant fennel (Ferula communis) grows to three meters (10 feet) or more. It is abundant along the roads around Gavalochori during April and May and is, in fact, native to the Mediterranean region. The round mustard-yellow flower clusters are held well above the foliage on sturdy, erect stems, and the leaves have a celery-like aroma. It is not to be confused with edible fennels. Giant fennel may have been the original Olympic torch because, when dried, the hollow stems become hard and woody, and the pith inside is flammable and will burn slowly like a wick.
Greek spiny spurge (Euphorbia acanthothamnos) consists of dense, cushion-shaped mounds that thrive on low-level ledges, hillsides, and cliffs. Its characteristic lime-green leaves and gold bracts make it a striking feature on hillsides around Gavalochori from March to May. Native to Greece and Turkey, it is known as the chicken wire plant because its wood spines, which look like chicken wire, persist for over a year after the plant has died back.
Hibiscus plants (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) with showy bell-shaped flowers bloom in many colors throughout the summer in the Gavalochori area. They look much more impressive during the day than in the evening because the blossoms close at night. A tea made from the hibiscus flower is red in color and high in vitamin C. The hibiscus probably originated in China or India, but its popularity in Europe began in the 1700s, when explorers brought the plants to that continent. They were called stove plants then because, as tropical flowers, they couldn’t survive year-round outdoors, so they were brought into kitchens to overwinter by the stove. Fortunately, hibiscus plants thrive just fine in Gavalochori winters, ready to bloom again once the warm weather arrives.
The jasmine (Jasminum officinale) is a member of the olive family from Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania, and jasmine plants abound in Gavalochori. You might smell them before you see them because of their heady sweet fragrance, a favorite scent in teas, candles, soaps, perfumes, and lotions. When they come into view, you will see a showy display of starry pure-white blossoms amid masses of green leaves climbing over arches and on trellises. In Gavalochori, jasmine generally bloom from midsummer to winter.
Native to Greece and Turkey, the Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa) is a small, mounded, evergreen shrub that grows up to one meter (3 feet) tall. The name comes from its leaves, which are pale green and soft, like those of a sage plant. The plant grows wild around Gavalochori, and you can see its striking golden flowers blooming from March to June. The Jerusalem sage is sometimes known as the lampwick plant because its leaves were used in ancient times as lamp wicks.
The lantana plant (Lantana camara) forms large, bushy mounds with showy heads of small bright flowers that bloom continuously during the summer and autumn in and around Gavalochori, but they may produce some blooms all year round. The blossoms may be solid colors or multicolored in shades of orange and yellow or pink and yellow. Native to Central and South America, most lantana grow to be about 1 meter (3 feet) high, but some can grow to be 1½ to 2 meters (5 to 6 feet) tall. The leaves are poisonous or toxic to most animals, including cattle, sheep, horses, goats, and dogs, but the berries are a delicacy for many birds. You can see yellow lantana in the planter boxes in the main square in Gavalochori.
An evergreen plant that is the mainstay of dry-climate gardening, oleanders (Nerium oleander) can grow up to 6 meters (20 feet) tall. You will recognize these natives to the Mediterranean region by their clumps of pink or white blossoms and thin, spiky, dull-green leaves. Blossoms emerge in terminal clusters from April to October, with the heaviest blooms in May and June. Oleander can tolerate long seasons of drought and inundation from winter rains, making it perfect for the climate on Crete, and you can see these plants lining the National Road around Gavalochori. One theory says that oleander was the substance used by the oracle of Delphi to produce her trances—she might have chewed small amounts of the leaves.
Passiflora plants (Passiflora quadrangularis) are climbing plants native to South America that can grow up to 8 meters (25 feet) long. In the Gavalochori area, you are as likely to encounter them growing wild and rambling over shrubs and climbing into trees when you are hiking as you are to see them in a formal garden. The flowers are dramatic and exotic with a circle of filaments radiating out from the center and an elongated stalk that rises from the middle of the flower. On Crete, passiflora are usually pale purple and white with lime green filaments or white with purple filaments. They are often known by two other names. One is passion flower because of equations that have been made between the characteristics of the flower and the last days of Jesus—the tendrils are said to represent the whips used in his flagellation and the 10 petals and sepals the 10 faithful apostles. Another name is the clock plant because the flower looks like the face of a clock.
Pelargoniums (Pelargonium hortorum) are the red, orange, or white flowers that are a trademark of the Greek landscape, although they are indigenous to Africa. Most people call them geraniums, but that is a misnomer—geranium is the botanical and common name of a separate type of related plant that is also known as the cranesbill. The pelargonium is also called the storksbill, and its name comes from the Greek word for “stork” (pelargos, πελαργός) because its seed head looks like the long and slender beak of a stork. The most obvious difference between perlargoniums and geraniums is that the two upper petals of pelargoniums are different in shape from the three lower petals, while the five petals of geranium flowers are identical. While in Greece, though, you can safely assume that the flowers you thought were geraniums are actually pelargoniums.
Plumbago plants (Plumbago auriculata) are hard to miss because of their bright blue phlox-like flowers. An evergreen mounding and climbing shrub that comes from South Africa, it blooms in and around Gavalochori from the early spring until the end of autumn. A huge plumbago plant can be seen along the road just behind Monica’s Taverna in Gavalochori. The plant is also known as sky flower or leadwort—sky flower because it is the color of the sky and leadwort from the Latin word plumbum, which means “lead”—it was believed in ancient times to be a medicinal plant that could cure lead poisoning.
If you are in Gavalochori during the winter, you will see poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) in bloom in some gardens. Although poinsettia plants are usually about half a meter (2 feet tall), they can grow to be as tall as 4 meters (13 feet) on Crete. The plant is native to Mexico and Central America, but it became a worldwide symbol of the Christmas holidays when Joel Roberts Poinsett, a botanist and the first US minister to Mexico, introduced the plant into the United States in the 1820s, and its popularity spread from there. The red “blossoms” of the plant are actually not petals but leaves, and although the plant is popularly thought to be toxic to humans and animals, that is a misconception.
You will see huge prickly pear cactuses (Opuntia ficus-indica) as tall as 5 meters (15 feet) dotting the landscape around Gavalochori. They are distinguished by their large broad green or blue-green pads (which is why they are sometimes called paddle cactus) covered with white spines and tiny barbed hairs. They produce a fruit in the summer that can be red, burgundy, yellow-orange, or green and is known as fragkosyka (Φραγκόσυκα). The pads, flowers, and fruit of the cactus are edible and are also used as dye in products such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and textiles. In earlier times, the spines were used as gramophone needles.
The shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana) or Mexican shrimp plant is an easy plant to spot because its flowers suggest the shape and color of shrimps. It has drooping clusters of white tubular two-lipped flowers enclosed by salmon-colored bracts. It is native to Mexico and blooms in Greece in the spring and summer. You will find it growing between 1 and 2 meters (3 and 6 feet) tall in many pots in Gavalochori.
Also called spiny broom, thorny broom (Calicotome villosa) is a densely branched shrub usually under 3 meters (10 feet) high that you will find blooming on hills and among rocks in March and April outside of Gavalochori. Its flowers are a bright yellow and grow interspersed with sharp spikes on rigid stems. This plant is native to the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Also known as angel’s tears or snowy angel’s trumpet, white angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia aurea) is a small tree with long, downward-hanging yellow or white trumpet flowers that look like upside-down witches’ hats. It has large, pointed hairy leaves that look rather sinister, and the whole plant is very poisonous. The stunning flowers and sweet fragrance of this native of Brazil, however, add drama to several gardens around Gavalochori.
If you are in the Gavalochori area in April and May, you are likely to see cascades of purple flowers dripping from trees, pergolas, and walls. These spectacular flowers are wisteria (Wisteria sinensis), characterized by their fragrant, pea-like flower clusters and spiraling trunks. They can climb as high as 20 meters (66 feet) and spread 10 meters (33 feet) laterally. Their flashy display reminds Cretan residents and visitors that warm weather is on its way.
The almond tree (Prunus amygdalus) is a small, spreading deciduous tree that originated in Asia. It is usually the first tree to blossom after the winter, often at the beginning of January, so its pale pink or white blossoms serve as a harbinger of spring. Sugar almonds feature in Greek wedding traditions: Five almonds are wrapped together and given to the bridal couple to insure long life, happiness, prosperity, well-being, and fertility.
Known as either the bay or laurel (Laurus nobilis), this shrubby evergreen tree has glossy, aromatic leaves and is a native of the Mediterranean region. Its Greek name, daphne (δάφνη) originated in mythology with the mountain nymph Daphne, who was pursued by Apollo. Distressed by his persistent and unwanted advances, Daphne beseeched Gaia for help, and the Earth goddess transformed her into a tree. Broken hearted, Apollo adorned his brow with its leaves to help him remember his lost love. Wreaths of many types of leaves, including ivy, olive, and oak, were awarded to victorious athletes, generals, poets, and musicians in ancient Greece. The laurel was particularly popular, though, and the term poet laureate derives from the custom of awarding those of high achievement with a crown of laurel leaves. Bay or laurel leaves, of course, are also an essential ingredient in the flavoring of soups, sauces, and marinades.
Citrus trees (Citrus x sinensis) have a long tradition in Greece, both mythologically and historically. Citrus fruits were the gift that Gaia, the Earth goddess, offered at the wedding of Zeus and Hera, and Alexander the Great probably introduced the citrus species, which originated in Asia, to Greece. Citrus are the main winter fruit on Crete, and you can see orange, Seville orange (a more bitter variety), lemon trees, and some grapefruit trees heavy with fruit everywhere around Gavalochori and in Western Crete, where the trees have access to abundant water from the White Mountains. If you drive up to Omalos and the start of the Samaria Gorge, before the road climbs into the mountains, you will drive through extensive fields of orange trees. A striking scene when it happens to snow on Crete is to see trees that are loaded with oranges dusted with snow.
The cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) is a drought-tolerant evergreen tree native to Southern Africa that can reach heights of up to 40 meters (130 feet). Two types of cypress trees grow on Crete. One is a narrow tree that is tall and slim, while the other is wider and broader. The branches, leaves, and needles are the same on both types. The cypress is known for its durable wood, and the pillars in the palace of Knossos were made from the wood of the cypress tree. The cypress tree was a symbol of mourning in classical antiquity. In Greek mythology, Cyparissus, the grandson of Hercules, accidentally killed his pet stag, which had been given to him by Apollo. In deep despair, he asked the gods to let his tears flow eternally, so the gods transformed him into a cypress tree. The tree is still associated with death and is often seen at the edges of cemeteries on Crete, where it is believed to protect the dead from evil. The ancient Greeks also used the wood to make coffins.
You will see fig trees (Ficus carica) sprouting from inhospitable crevices such as rocks and walls in and around Gavalochori. The fig was said to be the creation of Demeter, the goddess of harvest and agriculture, who guaranteed the fertility of the earth. It was probably introduced into Greece from Egypt around the 9th century BC. Greece is still a major producer of figs, and although Gavalochori was once famous for its figs, the cultivation of figs is no longer a commercial activity in the village.
Mulberry trees (Morus alba) are native to China, but now numerous varieties grow in temperate climates across the world. Mulberry trees were crucial to Gavalochori’s silk-making industry because their leaves are the primary food of silkworms, and you can still see many mulberry trees in the area. In fact, some new ones were recently planted among the pine trees next to the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in the village. These trees are very popular on Crete because they provide natural shade in the summer, and in the winter, they shed their leaves and allow the winter sun to shine through. You can tell mulberry trees because of their short trunks, broad crowns, the bright yellowish-green color of their large leaves, the white paint on their trunks, and (in late winter or early spring) the flat tops that look as if the tree has been shorn straight across (which it has). The white paint is designed to protect the trunk from the burning sun, and the trees have indeed been sheared because mulberry leaves make excellent fodder for animals, including goats, sheep, and rabbits. They are also often sheared if they are growing in residential areas because the shearing stops the production of mulberries and keeps the roads clean from the sugary fruit.
A few Norfolk pines (Araucaria heterophylla) appear in the area around Gavalochori, and you are likely to notice them because they are so striking with their widely spaced branches and symmetrical triangular shape. The Norfolk pine’s branches grow almost horizontally from its straight trunk to form floors, with the plane of each floor a perfect pentagon. A type of conifer, the tree is native to Norfolk Island, an island territory of Australia. Captain James Cook noted the presence of large forests of these tall, straight trees when he visited Norfolk Island, and he thought they would make excellent masts for sailing ships. The Norfolk pines were discovered not to be resilient enough for this purpose, however, and this industry was abandoned.
The olive tree (Olea europaea) is a grayish evergreen tree that is short and squat (it rarely exceeds 7-15 meters (25-50 feet) in height that is native to the Mediterranean region. Most of the trees you see in the fields around Gavalochori are olive trees. Olive trees were grown as far back as 3000 BC on Crete, and olives and olive oil may have been the source of the wealth of the Minoan civilization. One of the oldest olive trees in the world and the Olive Tree Museum are not too far from Gavalochori in the village of Vouves (Βούβες), located west of Chania going toward Kissamos (Κίσσαμος). The tree is between 3,000 and 5,000 years old and still produces olives. Olive leaves were used to make wreaths for winners of games in ancient Greece, and wreaths made from the tree in Vouves crowned the marathon winners in the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 and the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
Seven types of pine trees (Pinus brutia) grow naturally in Greece although they are not native to the Mediterranean but to a variety of northern temperate regions. Nevertheless, they are often regarded as a quintessential Mediterranean tree, with their smell alone evoking images of hot summer days. In Greek mythology, the pine was the favorite tree of Rhea, the mother of Zeus, in part because its tall height symbolized the connection between the earth and the sky. An important source of timber and fuel, Aleppo Pine has also long been tapped for its resin, which many liken to the smell of turpentine and that flavors and preserves white retsina wines. Although retsina is often the cheapest wine available and definitely constitutes an acquired taste, some wine makers in Greece have begun growing grapes to make high-quality retsina, wanting to turn it into a cultural tradition of which Greeks can be proud. You can see a small grove of pine trees next to the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus not far from the Folklore Museum in Gavalochori.
Plane trees (Platanus orientalis) are frequently planted in Greece for shade because their wide-spreading branches can grow up to 50 meters (164 feet). In fact, the tree’s name comes from the Greek platys (πλατύς), meaning “wide” or “broad.” Many Greek villages have one or more ancient plane trees in their squares that provide shade in the summer and often serve as the focal point of and a major meeting place in a village. Plane trees originated in North America, eastern Europe, and Asia, but they have roots in mythology as well: Legend claims that Hercules planted a grove of plane trees at Olympia for his father Zeus. Plane trees also sheltered the paths surrounding Plato’s Academy in Athens. A plane tree planted in 2019 to replace an ancient plane tree that had died is beginning to provide shade for the Arismari taverna in Platanaki Square in Gavalochori.
Although an Asian native, the pomegranate tree (Punica granatum) has long been naturalized in Greece and the Mediterranean. Its bell-shaped, intense red-orange flowers appear in early summer and last into the early fall, and fruit appears on the trees between August and October. The leaves of the tree turn golden before dropping to reveal any fruit remaining. If not picked, pomegranates don’t fall, creating a subtle decorative feature for the winter garden. The pomegranate is associated with two figures from Greek mythology—it is said to have been planted by the goddess of love, Aphrodite, and Persephone, the queen of the underworld, was strongly identified with the fruit because her rebirth each year coincided with spring. For this reason, the fruit symbolizes fertility. The pomegranate is also said to deliver good luck for the new year, so it is used as a decoration at Christmas and for the New Year.
An abundance of birds and animals make their homes on Crete. Among them are vultures, eagles, rabbits, hedgehogs, badgers, various rodents, bats, and snakes (none of them fatally poisonous to humans). Crete is an excellent place for birdwatching, particularly in the spring as that is the season when many migrant birds are returning to Europe after wintering in Africa.
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) are common along the coasts of Crete, but you are more likely to glimpse them from a boat or a ferry than from the shore. The bottlenose dolphin has a gray back and a gray, white, or pink belly. It is typically 2.5 to 3 meters (8 to 10 feet) long and has a short, rounded snout that looks like a bottle. Bottlenose dolphins hunt in groups of up to 100, feeding on sardines, mackerel, herring, squid, octopi, crabs, and shrimp. Very intelligent animals, dolphins like following ships and are usually friendly to humans, often playing with swimmers. The dolphin is the national animal of Greece, and representations of dolphins can be seen in frescoes from the palace at the Knossos archaeological site near Heraklion. They are known in Greek mythology as messengers, guardians, and rescuers.
There are several types of jellyfishes that you might find in the waters in and around Crete. These animals cannot see, but they can detect motion. They secrete a toxic substance that stuns their prey of sea slugs, shrimp, mussels, crabs, or fish. Among the most common around Crete is the moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) (17 centimeters or 7 inches in diameter), which has a flat umbrella and a transparent white shade with four pinkish circles visible in it. Another one you might see is the Mediterranean jellyfish or the fried-egg jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata) (60 centimeters or 24 inches in diameter), which looks like a fried egg from above and a bouquet of flowers from the side. The medusa jellyfish (Medusozoa) (2 to 40 centimeters or 1-16 inches in diameter) is also common—it is a solid golden brown mass. Since 2020, purple jellyfishes (Pelagia noctiluca) have been found off the coasts of Greece and Crete, and they are much more dangerous than the other ones. Their stings can cause painful and long-lasting burns that can leave permanent scars. If you are stung by a jellyfish, rinse the affected area thoroughly with salt water (never fresh water), and remove any spines with tweezers or the edge of a bank card. If you have been stung by a purple jellyfish, take the additional step of soaking the area in hot water for at least 30 minutes.
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is typically about 89 centimeters (35 inches) in size and weighs on average 136 kilograms (300 pounds). It has a lifespan of up to 67 years. The head and upper shell are reddish brown to yellowish orange, and the underside is pale yellow. The turtles feed on bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as slugs, snails, fish, crabs, sponges, sea anemones, jellyfish, and mollusks, which they crush with their large and powerful jaws. They are classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Archelon, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, has made one of its project areas a beach east of Rethymno, where the turtles lay eggs every summer. Researchers and volunteers walk the beach daily, recording and protecting the nests of the sea turtles, often covering the nests with protective cages.
The octopus (Octopoda) is not a fish but a mollusk that lost its shell in the evolutionary process. It ranges in size from 30 to 90 centimeters (12 to 36 inches), has eight limbs, and propels itself by squirting water out of its siphon tube. It can change color and alter the texture of its skin to camouflage itself and eats small fish, shrimp, and crabs. You might see octopi hanging out to dry in the sun on Crete. That is because the octopus is largely made of water, so it is dried to allow the water to evaporate before it is made into a delicious dish to be served in local tavernas.
On rocky beaches on Crete, you might very well encounter sea urchins (Echinoidea) —round shells covered in black spikes. They are typically 3 to 10 centimeters (1 to 4 inches) in size, and they move by walking, using their many flexible tube feet and assisted by the spines that push their bodies along. They eat algae, sea cucumbers, and slow-moving animals such as mussels and sponges, and they themselves are eaten by fish, starfish, crabs, and other marine mammals. Watch where you walk in shallow water, but if you do end up with one of the sea urchin’s spines in your foot or leg, you want to fully remove it promptly, either by going to a doctor or getting special tweezers and ointment at a pharmacy.
Crete is home to many species of bats. The two most common are the European free-tailed bat and the greater horseshoe bat. The European free-tailed bat (Tadarida teniotis), which is the size of a small pear, has reddish brown or gray fur, forward-pointing ears, narrow wings, and wrinkled lips that give it the look of a bulldog. The greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) is 5 to 7 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) long, has golden brown fur, round wings, leaf-shaped ears, and a horseshoe-shaped nose. Bats can be found in caves, rock outcroppings, cliffs, quarries, and old houses and under bridges, where they eat moths, beetles, and other insects.
The noisiest creatures you will encounter on Crete, especially if you are here in the summer, are cicadas (Cicadomopha). Wherever there are trees, you are likely to hear these insects producing a very loud, shrill sound during the hottest hours of the day. The cicadas on Crete are among the largest of the cicadas found in Europe, growing up to 5 centimeters (2 inches) long. Their life cycle varies from 1 to 9 years, but much of their existence is as larvae buried in the earth. Females lay eggs in the bark of trees, which then drop to the ground and burrow down into the earth. When the insects emerge as adults, typically between 2 and 5 years later, they shed their skins, and you will sometimes see their abandoned exoskeletons on the sides of buildings or on tree trunks. The noise they make is produced by the males of the species using a pair of tymbals, vibrating membranes that lie below each side of their abdomen. The sound functions both to attract a mate and to repel birds, the natural predators of cicadas. Cicadas live on plant sap from grasses, shrubs, and trees.
Eurasian collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto) are often found around towns and villages, so you might very well see or hear them when you are in or near Gavalochori. They are pinkish-brown in color and have long tail feathers that are white from below (so you will see white when they are flying). They have a black half collar at the nape of their necks, which is what gives them their name. They are about 32 centimeters (12 inches) long, and you will often hear their distinctive cry: “woo-WOOO!-woo.” They feed on seeds, grains such as wheat and corn, and berries. The birds don’t drink water as most birds do by scooping water up and tipping their heads back to let it run down into their throats. Instead, they drink head down, submerging their bills and sucking water as if drinking through a straw.
Probably the most unusual bird on Crete is the lammergeyer or bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), which has a wingspan of nearly 3 meters (10 feet). It lives on a diet primarily of bone marrow, making it the only living bird species that does. It has the habit of dropping bones on rocks to break them open for their marrow, and its powerful digestive system quickly dissolves even large pieces of bone. The lammergeyer is threatened with extinction, so you are more likely to see other kinds of birds gliding over valleys and gorges on Crete.
Several species of owls inhabit Crete, but one that you are likely to see or hear is the little owl (Athene noctua). It is a mixture of white and dark brown and has prominent white eyebrows over yellow eyes. It is about 22 centimeters (8 inches) long and has a wingspan of about 56 centimeters (22 inches). It is most active at dusk, where it can be seen waiting on perches to swoop down on its prey such as small reptiles and birds or hopping on the ground, pecking for insects like beetles and grasshoppers. Its call is a combination of a squeak and a squawk, repeated at intervals of several seconds. Although Greece has no official bird, the little owl is considered to be the national bird because of its use throughout Greek history in art and literature and on coins. It symbolizes wisdom and knowledge.
There are various kinds of swallows on Crete, but a very common one is the barn swallow (hirundo rustica). They are easy to identify because they are aerial predators, and you can often see flocks of them swooping through the air or skimming the surface of water to feed off insects they catch in flight. They also have a distinctive forked tale, white chests, and blue and orange heads. They average about 17 centimeters (6 inches) long. They spend the winter months in southern Sahara and as far as South Africa and then fly more than 10,000 kilometers (6,213 miles) to their summer residences to breed. Their arrival on Crete each year marks the beginning of spring.
The animals you will see most on Crete are cats (Felis catus) and dogs (Canis familiaris). There are many stray cats and dogs, and they are able to survive because of the mild winters and the kindness of tourists or residents who feed them. Fortunately, veterinarians on Crete have now begun to spay and neuter stray cats and dogs, and Gavalochori residents increasingly use such services to keep the cat and dog populations down. Dogs kept as pets by Gavalochori residents are often allowed to bark freely, which is annoying to non-Greek ears. For Greeks, however, dogs are valued just as much for their capacity to protect the homes of their owners as they are for their company. In fact, there is a saying that “a dog that does not bark is not a dog.”
An animal about the size of a small bear with short legs, the Cretan badger (Meles meles arcalus) is between 70 and 95 centimeters (28 and 37 inches) long. It has a grayish brown coat and a distinctive white strip that starts at the edge of its muzzle and goes to the back of its head. Its face is wedge shaped, and it has small eyes. A burrowing animal, this badger passes its burrows from one generation to the next. It is a nocturnal animal that eats earthworms, large insects, rabbits, rats, mice, worms, snails, carrion, cereals, and fruits.
About the size of a domestic cat, the Cretan beech marten (Martes foina) is grayish brown and has a white streak that runs from the animal’s neck to its chest. It creeps in a polecat manner and is an excellent climber and swimmer. The animal eats smaller mammals, fruits, nuts, and eggs. Although it is nocturnal, during mating season, it is more likely to be seen during the day. You may see Cretan beech martens because they often live close to human habitation.
The Cretan least weasel (Mustela nivalis) has a slender, elongated body and short legs, and it is typically 17 to 24 centimeters (6 to 9 inches) long. Its fur is brown, and its underside is white. It is a nocturnal animal that hides in its nest during the day. The diet of the weasel consists of small rodents and sometimes frogs, rabbits, and birds, which it can subdue because of its strong jaws.
Found nowhere but on Crete, the Cretan spiny mouse (Acomys minous) is a large mouse (18 to 25 centimeters or 7 to 10 inches) with a pointed face that has very large ears and coarse, stiff hairs on its back and tail. It is yellow, red, gray, or brown on its face and back and has white fur on its underside. It tends to hide in its hole during the day, but it is able to climb trees in search of food, which includes insects, snails, seeds, and grass.
The Cretan wall lizard (Podarcis cretensis) is endemic to Crete, and you will find it sheltering under rocks and bushes. It is 7 centimeters (3 inches) long, and its tail takes up two thirds of its length. Males are olive green with black spots and two light vertical lines, while the females are brown or gray. Especially in spring, the males also may have shiny blue spots on their bellies. Insects and snails make up the major part of their diet.
Unfortunately, the most unusual animal to make its home on Crete is one you aren’t ever likely to see. The mascot of Crete is the Cretan goat, the kri-kri (Capra aegagrus cretica). The male is most striking and has a light brown coat, a black beard, a dark band around its neck, and two horns that sweep back from its head. It is 1.29 to 1.52 meters (4 to 5 feet) in height, and it is known for its capacity to leap great distances and climb sheer cliffs. Kri-kri are herbivores that eat vegetables such as grasses, herbs, and leaves. Considered a vulnerable species because of its declining numbers, kri-kri can no longer be hunted. Today, they survive only in the White Mountains and in the national forest of Samaria and are very rarely seen.
Small animals 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 inches) long, the Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylos turcicus) is tan with dark spots and has large lidless eyes and round adhesive pads on its toes that allow it to walk upside down on ceilings. The geckoes prey on mosquitos, moths, butterflies, snails, and roaches and are attracted to lights in search of their prey. They are found in cliffs and caves but also in areas of human presence such as in the cracks of old buildings and trash piles.
The northern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus) has a coat of brown with white tips on its spines, a striking white patch on its chest, and a pointed snout. It can be up to 35 centimeters (14 inches) when fully grown. These hedgehogs benefit from proximity to and interaction with humans, so they are likely to be found in environments constructed or populated by humans. Active at night, they eat insects, plants, vegetables, and fruit. They engage in a ritual where they cover their own spines with saliva, but the function of this practice is unclear. This type of hedgehog is a host for the tick that carries Lyme disease.
There are several species of scorpions (Scorpiones) on Crete. The most common is the Euscorpios Carpathicus, which is black and only 3 to 4 centimeters (1 to 1½ inches) long, and the Mesobuthus Gibbosus, which is about 12 centimeters (5 inches) long and is golden brown in color. Scorpions eat insects as well as mice and lizards, and although they need water, they can survive for months without food. Cretan scorpions are venomous, but their venom is not life threatening unless you are allergic to their poison. Nevertheless, scorpion stings are painful, so be careful when lifting stones or wood where they might be living.
You will see many sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) on Crete, and you may find yourself stuck for several minutes in a “Cretan traffic jam,” where you must stop your car in the middle of a road to allow a flock of sheep or goats to cross. Shepherding sheep and goats has taken a technological turn on Crete. Some owners of flocks around Gavalochori put GPS monitors on the collars of the herd dogs, and when they want to find their animals, they simply check the GPS. Although we all probably think we can tell the difference between sheep and goats when we see them, it’s not always so easy to distinguish them. Here’s something that will help: The tails of sheep typically point down, and the tails of goats typically point up.
Crete is home to four kinds of snakes—the Balkan whip snake, the dice snake, the cat snake, and the leopard snake. None is dangerous to humans because only the cat snake has venom, but because it is rear-fanged, it is unable to deliver the venom to humans. The Balkan whip snake (Hierophis gemonensis) is tan with a darker net pattern, and it is active during the day—you might find it sunning itself. It eats other reptiles, large insects, small mammals, and young birds. The dice snake (Natrix tessellate) is a solid reddish-brown color and is about 80 centimeters (32 inches) long. It is a water snake, so you will find it in wetlands, in rock pools, or along coastal shores, where it eats fish and sometimes frogs, toads, and tadpoles. The cat snake (Telescopus fallax) is gray with black blotches, has eyes like cats, and averages about 1 meter (1 yard) in length. It is nocturnal and feeds on small lizards and mammals such as rodents (it swallows its prey whole). The leopard snake (Zamenis situla) is particularly distinctive because of its orange-red markings and red eyes. You will usually find it in sunny areas with some cover such as rock walls, and its diet consists largely of rodents.
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