Flora and fauna of Greece

La nature that you can find in Greece is impressive, and is that according to the non-governmental organization WWF, the territory is divided between two large ecoregions, each with its peculiarities that make it unique.

So that you can enjoy the country more, I'm going to tell you the most representative flora and fauna of Greece. Do not miss it.

As we mentioned, the territory is divided between two large ecoregions, which are:

Temperate hardwood forest

In turn it is divided into the mixed balkan forest of the northern lowlands and in the mixed forest of the rhodope mountains. The climate in these places is temperate, which means that temperatures remain mild throughout the year, and some frosts occur in winter.

The Greek flora and fauna of these forests have adapted to live in very particular conditions, in such a way that the growth rate is often slow, especially that of plants. But let's look at it in more detail:

Flora

 

Among the most characteristic flora of these Greek temperate forests we highlight such majestic trees as:

• White fir (Abies alba): It is a slow-growing conifer with a pyramidal bearing that reaches a height of about 60m.
• Eastern carpe (Carpinus orientalis): It is a deciduous tree that reaches a height of 10 meters. It can be found alongside beech, as both need slightly cool climates to grow.
• White carpe (Carpinus betulus): it is a very common deciduous tree in degraded forests, growing above 600 meters above sea level. It reaches a height of 25 meters, maximum 30m, and can sometimes be found growing alongside beech trees.
• Beech (Fagus sylvatica): It is a slow-growing, deciduous tree that reaches a height of 40 meters. In Greece it is found forming forests in Pilio.
• Trojan oak (Quercus trojana): It is a slow-growing, deciduous tree that reaches a height of about 20 meters.

Fauna

In these forests live the Brown bears, many reptiles like lizards, Lizards, viperine snakes o snout vipers, And a white mountain goat very rare that you will only find in Greece, specifically in the Samaria gorge.

Mediterranean forest

This type of forest is divided into four types: Illyrian deciduous forest, mixed forest of the Pindo Mountains, Mediterranean forest of Crete and sclerophyllous and mixed forest of the Aegean and western Turkey.

The flora and fauna that you can see know how to live in a place where the rain does not always fall in abundance, and where the temperatures can rise a lot during the summer. Thus, its most representative species are:

Flora

Among the most representative flora of Mediterranean forests, we highlight these plants that are useful for humans: 

• Almond (Prunus dulcis): This is a deciduous tree that grows to a height of 7m and produces delicious nuts: almonds.
• Date (Phoenix dactylifera): It is a fast growing palm tree that can reach a height of 10 meters. It is cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region for its resistance to drought and its dates.
• Fig tree (Ficus carica): It is a deciduous tree that reaches a height of 6m and has a rapid growth rate and whose fruits, figs, are also edible.
• Pomegranate (Punica granatum): It is a very ornamental deciduous tree that also produces some fruits, pomegranates, which are edible for humans. It grows very quickly to a height of 5-6m.
• Olive tree (Olea europaea): It is an evergreen tree that reaches a height of 5-6 meters, and produces a large quantity of olives.

Although without forgetting the flowers that give color to the landscape, such as the anemones, tulips, Violets or daffodils.

Fauna

In a climate that can be difficult for animal life, it is interesting to highlight the great variety of animals that you can find in these forests, such as lynx, brown squirrels, foxes, jackals, deer, Wolves.

Life in the sea ... and in the sky

With regard to the sea, if you go diving you will see mullets, lobsters, squid, octopuses, prawns, crabs, mussels, cockles and even dolphins.

If we talk about birds, Greece can boast of being a meeting point or a point of passage for many of them, so if you want to see -or try at least 🙂 - owls, nightingales, ducks, wading birds, pheasants, pelicans o hawks, do not hesitate to travel to this country so rich in animal and plant life.

In its landscapes there is so much animal and plant wealth, that there are some 5500 species of plants, 116 mammal, 422 bird, 126 fish, Reptile 60 y 20 amphibians. Amazing, right?

So now you know, if you are a lover of ecological tourism and want to observe all the varieties of flora and fauna typical of each corner of the Greek territory, do not hesitate to book a ticket to spend an unforgettable vacation. You will not regret it.

Have a good trip!