Animals in Greece

Greece shows its animal life to the visitor mostly from the water and from the saddle. The chief sea residents are the loggerhead turtles, caretta caretta: Laganas bay on Zakynthos is one of their principal nesting grounds in the Mediterranean, and boats go there to watch turtles in the water without touching the beaches where the clutches lie. Off Kefalonia and Ithaca dolphins often join the cruises — not by programme but of their own accord.

The second line is on horseback. Rides go through Cretan olive groves and along beaches, and on Corfu over the green hills of the south. Horses are matched to the rider, and beginners are led at a walk. The third line is for children and villages: farms where goats and donkeys can be fed — the donkey in Greece is still a working animal, not a decoration.

Practical notes. Turtles are watched from June to September; approaching them or swimming alongside is forbidden — boats keep their distance, and that condition is legal, not a captain's whim. Dolphins are never guaranteed: it is not a show but a chance. Riding requires long trousers and closed shoes; rider weight is usually limited, so check when booking. In summer everything is set for the morning — heat is harder on the animals than on people.