Elephas chaniensis
The endemic Pleistocene Probosciea who lived on Crete includes species of different sizes, with a height from 1,5m. up to 3,5m., but none reached the height of the continental fossil elephants.
Many names have been used for the cretan elephants, but their study is not completed yet.
Fossils of the quite large Elephas chaniensis have been found in submerged caves in the village of Vamos (Chania) and represent different climatic conditions from today's, when the sea level was tens of meters lower than today.
The elephants of Rethymnon, for which the name Elephas creutzburgi is used, had a medium size and were abundant in coastal caves of the area.
The cretan elephants can easily be connected with the muth of the Cyclops, since they have a big hole in front of their head from where the trunk grows.
The fauna of Crete
The Cretan endemic butterfly Zerynthia cretica
Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus Barbatus)
Griffon Vulture (Gyps Fulvus)
Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)
Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata) (Hieraaetus fasciatus)
Eleonora's Falcon
The European Rabbit or Coney
Giorgalidiko: Domestic Horse, North-western European Horse
The Cretan Badger
Golden Eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos)
Mute Swan
Cretan wildcat
Butterflies and Moths of the island
Cretan Tracker: Europe's Oldest Hound, a Gift from Zeus
Cretan shrew
Kri-kri, the Cretan Wild Goat (Capra aegagrus cretica)
Least Weasel
Bats
European Fat/Edible Dormouse
The Balkan Terrapin or Western Caspian Terrapin (Mauremys Rivulata)
Cat Snake
Balkan Whip Snake
Marginated Tortoise (Testudo marginata)
Greek turtle
Water Snake
European Ratsnake or Leopard Snake
The Bullfrog
The European Green Toad
Common Kingfisher
Caretta Caretta (Loggerhead Sea Turtle)
Coleoptera
Fossil Vertebrates of Crete
Hippopotamus creutzburgi
Athene cretensis
Endemic Pleistocene mammals
Deinotherium giganteum