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Gouves wetland is located on the north of the island of Crete 20
minutes from the capital airport of Heraklion. The Wetlands are fed by the Aposelemos River located
South of the wetland. The water is blocked by a sand bar before it reaches the Cretan Sea, creating a natural inland
wetland.
Because of its location, Crete is ideally situated for migratory
birds as well as having its own varied and numerous species, the rarest being
the Gypaetus Barbatus (known as the bearded vulture). The status for these
fantastic birds in Crete is resident breeder, considered an endangered
species. The Gouves bird sanctuary and nature reserve has an abundance of
different species, there are those who like to come, and visit the
island and who like to pop in and rest for a while before traveling to
their summer or winter destinations, or the many species that like to live here
all year round.
Crete’s natural wetlands are mostly
located on the shoreline. Winter rivers and streams flow from the mountain
regions gathering into water-saturated substrates, forming wetlands,
in some beach areas salt marshes are also created by nature. These 2
types describe most wetlands found on Crete.
Microenvironments develop in these
wetlands; many have been characterised as priority biotopes, protected by EU
directives for remarkable flora, fauna, and wildlife. Migrating of birds
demands the establishment of a network of staging areas along the migratory
route for resting and feeding locations. Crete’s wetlands are
important aspect for migratory birds, used as stopover sites on their journey
to and from breeding areas, these wetlands also host over winter nesting sites
for many species of birds.
Crete's wetland areas, containing
their great productivity and biodiversity supporting large species of
short and long distance bird migration, a crucial importance factor for their
successful migration in spring and in autumn. Greek Center for
Biotopes and Wetlands (EKBY), have recognized and recorded many wildlife
wetland sites and different species of wildlife around the island. Crete's surrounding islands have also
been included into the recorded places of outstanding beauty as well as
wildlife havens.
Flora around Crete is in abundance there some reported
estimates of 1500 to 1800 species, including 160 endemic species, which are
only native to Crete. Many leading botanists have
studied this eco climate that provides such a wide range of climate seasons the
summer suns bakes the island.
Winter rain and snow, begins the
vegetation to burst into flower in spring. The mountainous regions limestone
sloping hills and gorges host many plants in the wild numerous identified
varieties of orchid, iris, anemone, daisies. Ground scrub with bright coloured
cistus, phlomis, sage, and euphorbias. Crete has many trees growing in the wild
from cedar, palms, and wild olive trees. Oaks where very predominate before
many were cut down for timber in the boat building industry. The
drying of wild flowers set many seeds over the landscape ready for the spring
rains as the soils warm up when Crete becomes alive again. Many plants
have adopted survival techniques in this climate by means of bulbs and rhizomes
one noted variety is asphodels. Aromatic herbs sage, thyme and marjoram plants
carpet Crete, towards the end of the summer purple cyclamen appears over
the mountains.
Because of Crete migratory position for birds, there
are many species of bird life found from, griffon vultures, lamergeir
vulture, buzzards, golden eagles, barn owls. The biggest impact are the
flocking migrant birds in spring and autumn. Most common are swallows, golden
oriole, white storks, booted eagle, shrikes, squacco heron, montagu's harrier,
and hoopoe’s. Insects are everywhere on Crete, from butterfly, moths,
bristletails, grasshoppers, crickets, stick insects, lacewings, earwigs, ants,
millipedes, cockroaches, mantises, scorpions, beetles, stoneflies, mayflies,
dragonflies, caddis flies, damselflies, alder flies, wasps, bees, these are the
most common found. The honeybees on Crete provide some of the world’s best
honey.
National Parks in Gouves Crete Greece –
Bird parks nature parks in Gouves Crete National parklands in Gouves Crete
Nature reserves in Gouves Crete National Parks Geo Parks in Gouves Crete Bird
Sanctuaries in Gouves Crete.
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Welcome to our World in Gouves Crete
