Reptiles of Crete at Aquaworld Aquarium - Hersonissos - Crete - Greece
Aquaworld Aquarium
and Reptile Rescue Centre
Hersonissos - Crete - Greece
Native Reptiles of Crete at Aquaworld
Below is a selection of the native reptiles found in Crete, many of which are on display at Aquaworld.
Some of them are quite tame and can be handled and photographed by visitors.
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| Dino, the Balkan green lizard |
The Balkan Green Lizard
Lacerta trilineata
Dino, the Balkan green lizard, is also something of a star here at Aquaworld and has had his picture taken with thousands of visitors. He is so laid back that he doesn't even try to escape any more - he knows where his next grasshopper is coming from, for sure!The Balkan green is the largest lizard native to Crete, but is normally quite timid and tends to run away at the slightest disturbance.
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Young Georgos, a Loggerhead Turtlewas found washed up next to the sea in Hersonissos |
The Loggerhead Turtle
Caretta caretta
Like little Dimitris before him, young Georgos was found washed up next to the sea in Hersonissos. Two local children (both called Georgos) brought him to us in March 2009.Georgos is barely over the size of a hatchling and would have been better advised to head off for warmer waters at the end of last summer - but he stayed and that was almost his undoing! As you can see from the photo, however, he began to eat the day after arriving at Aquaworld and with a bit more TLC should soon be going back into the sea to live a long and happy life...
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Cat Snake |
Cat Snake
Telescopus fallax
The cat snake is the only one on Crete with any venom whatsoever, but its tiny fangs are at the rear of its mouth and it is considered to be harmless because of this. This snake is a specialist which dines almost exclusively on lizards and the venom is used to quieten them down before they are swallowed.The cat snake also differs from the other Cretan snakes in that it hunts at night, when the lizards are sleepy and slow. This makes it without a doubt the most difficult local snake to come across.
http://www.aquaworld-crete.com/rep1.html
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