Akamas Peninsula, Cyprus Photograph by Pedro Regato/WWF   Mediterranean Island of Crete Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub   3,200 square miles (8,200 square kilometers) -- about half the size of Hawaii Critical/Endangered

· High to Low on the Island of Crete
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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High to Low on the Island of Crete

From high mountain ranges to deep canyons, the Crete Mediterranean Forests ecoregion covers a wide range of habitats on Crete--an island located in the Mediterranean Sea between the Balkan Peninsula and Turkey. Oaks, carob, junipers, and tree-spurge thrive at lower elevations, where a number of animal species make their homes. Forests of pine and holly oak at middle elevations provide habitat for an endemic goat and several endemic rodents. Impressive cypress woodlands at higher elevations are the only place in the world to find the evergreen Cretan maple.

Special Features

The Crete Mediterranean Forests ecoregion extends from sea level to the tops of high mountains. Climatic conditions change sharply as altitude increases, ranging from warm and dry on the low plains to cold and humid at the highest elevations. These diverse conditions throughout the region provide a variety of habitats for many species. Most of the endemic species here are ancient relics.

	The agrimi, or wild goat, of Crete may be the goat from which domestic goats were derived. The goat is now threatened, and one of its biggest problems is that it crossbreeds with domestic goats and causes the population to become impure.

Wild Side

Shrews emit high-pitched, clicking sounds and then listen for the echoes reflecting from the objects around them. In this manner they locate food such as insects, worms, and small mammals. Spiny mice scurry along the ground, using their long whiskers to feel their way among fallen branches and leaves, rocky outcroppings, and grasses.Majestic lammergeier vultures circle the skies above the high mountain valleys, dropping large bones onto rocks to break them. Then they swoop down to feed on the nutritious bone marrow. In ravines on the easternmost part of the island, rare palm trees are interspersed with oaks and spruce. In a few places on the island, a rare and endemic subspecies of wild goat, or agrimi, nibbles on grasses and shrubs.

Cause for Concern

While forests once covered most of the island of Crete, today the landscape is dominated by barren land and degraded shrublands. Since Medieval times, when Crete was an important shipbuilding center, the inhabitants of this island have used and abused its timber resources. Overgrazing and the setting of fires to produce fresh grassland have also contributed to the transformation of large areas of mature forests into degraded shrublands. Today, at least half of the land surface on Crete is used for the grazing of sheep and goats. What’s more, increasing tourism to the island is leading to increased building and intensive agriculture. Concrete production and road construction are also devastating large areas of land containing significant natural habitats. In addition, over-collecting may be a long-term threat to some endemic plants.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.