GR4320008 - NISOS KOUFONISI KAI PARAKTIA THALASSIA ZONI

Quality

The quality of this site has many aspects, related with is geographical location and excellent conservation status of the habitats.From the botanical view, both the flora and vegetation are interesting, as they are characterized by the persisting North African element which may have been depleted from the mainland of Crete. There are endemic plants and also plants at the margins of their northern distribution, such as Zygophyllum album, Helianthemum stipulatum and Astragalus peregrinus ssp. peregrinous, which have in these islands their only known populations in the area of Crete or of Greece.From ornithological view, two important birds Falco eleonorae and Calonectris diomedea nest there.The marine habitats are very important. Besides, the monk seal also uses the island.Finally, the site combines the biological with the arcaeological importance. There is an ancient theatre and archaeological value of the island is considered great, though not fully apprehended yet.OTHER IMPORTANT SPECIES WITH MOTIVATION DPlants: Colchicum cousturieri is an endemic of eastern Crete, protected by the Bern Convenion and by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81). It is included in the IUCN Red List of threatened species (1993, Greece; 1988 Europe; and 1993, World) with the characterization "Vulnerable" and also included in Annex IV of the Directive 92/43/EEC.Helianthemum stipulatum, Astragalus peregrinus ssp. peregrinus and Erodium crassifolium are protected by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81). They are also included in the IUCN Red List of threatened species (1993, Greece; 1988 Europe) with the characterization "Vulnerable", "Indeterminate" and "Rare" respectively (their World status is unknown). H. stipulatum is also included in the Corine checklist of threatened plants.Silene succulenta ssp. succulenta is protected by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81) and it is included in the IUCN Red List of threatened species (1993, Greece; 1988 Europe) with the characterization "Vulnerable", in Greece.Zygophyllum album is protected by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81) and it is included in the IUCN Red List of threatened species (1993, Greece; 1988 Europe) with the characterization "Vulnerable", in Greece.The species Zygophyllum album, Cistanche phelypaea and Erodium crassifolium are near the northern limits of their distribution; the first two occur only in the Iberian peninsula in Europe and the latter on only in E. Crete.Lygeum spartum belongs to the desert-like floristic element, occurring only in steppe communities in Kriti in Greece (it occurs at similar habitats in Spain, Sardinia, Sicily, Italy in Europe); it is one of the very rare grasses in Greece (Damanakis & Scholz, 1990). Distribution in Europe: at similar habitats.Cynara cornigera is an east-mediterranean species, with interesting distribution in the Aegean area, occurring in Southern Greece, in Crete and in the Aegean and out of Greece only in Cyprus; the site is one of only 100 or less sites this species occurs in the EC. Fagonia cretica is an east mediterranean region endemic.Reptiles: Cyrtodactylus kotschyi and Telescopus fallax, are protected by the Bern convention (appendix II) and by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81).