k.kounalaki
Balos Lagoon, Chania Crete
Situated 10 kilometers far from Kalyviani, at the North and over 58 Kilometers from Chania, at the north side of Gramvousa Peninsula, Balos Lagoon is one of the best beaches of the Mediterranean Sea. The beach is in the inlet of the homonymous cove and it is not affected by the “meltemia” (northern summer winds), since the islet of Gramvousa at the mouth of the cove protects it very well. The beach at the lagoon is sandy with pinkish – white sand and thousands of broken and intact seashells, with shallow water, very warm especially in summer. The problem is that the beach has a smooth but muddy seabed, which may make walking on it a bit disgusting, and occasionally, due to the shallow water, it has a bad odour; there is also a big tar problem.
Concise elements for the fauna in the region Gramvousa and Balos
To date, 98 species of birds have been recorded, but the actual number of species could be much larger. Of this number, 40 live in the bio-tope or in the surrounding regions (permanently or as summer visitors) and depend on this for finding food. The rest are observed during migration or over winter. 20 are protected by European legislation and 14 are reported in the red book of threatened species in Greece.
The peninsula of Gramvousa is characterized as a bio-tope of significant importance for migratory birds and is an importance source of food for the endangered in Europe Gypaetusbarbatus (vulture).
In terms of reptiles, there is the snake, Elaphe situla (Spitofido or Ohentra as by misunderstanding it is said in Crete), which is protected by Greek and European legislation. A distinctiveness of the region is the wild flock of donkeys that live on the peninsula. This wild flock of donkeys is treated as a rival to the sheep and goats of the area and often killed by local shepherds.
In the caverns of the region, the Mediterranean seal (Monachus monachus) gives birth and the marine turtle (Caretta Caretta), a strictly protected species, is found here. The marine clams of the lagoon do not exist anywhere else in Crete in such large numbers as found here.
Balos Lagoon, Chania Crete
Situated 10 kilometers far from Kalyviani, at the North and over 58 Kilometers from Chania, at the north side of Gramvousa Peninsula, Balos Lagoon is one of the best beaches of the Mediterranean Sea. The beach is in the inlet of the homonymous cove and it is not affected by the “meltemia” (northern summer winds), since the islet of Gramvousa at the mouth of the cove protects it very well. The beach at the lagoon is sandy with pinkish – white sand and thousands of broken and intact seashells, with shallow water, very warm especially in summer. The problem is that the beach has a smooth but muddy seabed, which may make walking on it a bit disgusting, and occasionally, due to the shallow water, it has a bad odour; there is also a big tar problem.
Concise elements for the fauna in the region Gramvousa and Balos
To date, 98 species of birds have been recorded, but the actual number of species could be much larger. Of this number, 40 live in the bio-tope or in the surrounding regions (permanently or as summer visitors) and depend on this for finding food. The rest are observed during migration or over winter. 20 are protected by European legislation and 14 are reported in the red book of threatened species in Greece.
The peninsula of Gramvousa is characterized as a bio-tope of significant importance for migratory birds and is an importance source of food for the endangered in Europe Gypaetusbarbatus (vulture).
In terms of reptiles, there is the snake, Elaphe situla (Spitofido or Ohentra as by misunderstanding it is said in Crete), which is protected by Greek and European legislation. A distinctiveness of the region is the wild flock of donkeys that live on the peninsula. This wild flock of donkeys is treated as a rival to the sheep and goats of the area and often killed by local shepherds.
In the caverns of the region, the Mediterranean seal (Monachus monachus) gives birth and the marine turtle (Caretta Caretta), a strictly protected species, is found here. The marine clams of the lagoon do not exist anywhere else in Crete in such large numbers as found here.