Most of the inhabited Greek islands are found in the Aegean Sea, with a small number in the Ionian Sea to the west of the mainland. Each island has its own ecosystems and all cannot be dealt with here, but a few of the ones rich in flora and fauna will be touched upon. Endemic species are found on many of the larger islands, with 80 endemic species of flowers found on the Aegean islands (so far), 36 of which are found only on the islands. There are also endemic species of reptiles and butterflies. Many such endemic species have evolved in isolation, especially on mountains, of which there are many on the island, and some of them since from before the last ice age, the islands having experienced milder temperatures which enabled some species to go on developing. Almost any season except for mid-summer is good for visiting the islands and seeing flowers and birds.
An impressive area for birdlife is found on northern Syros, with a rocky coastline with cliffs, and a very small population. The shag, a bird quite rare in all of Greece, breed here, and Eleonora's falcon, peregrines, Bonelli's eagle, shearwaters, and many other birds are found here, some of them also breeding. Many birds of passage frequent the area as well. Andros, Tinos, and Mykonos islands, also have good bird and animal life in the more remote and mountainous areas. Andhros, the largest of these (and almost as large as Naxos, biggest island in the Cyclades)is very mountainous, and has many wild and unpopulated areas good for wildlife.
Greek Islands: Intro, Naxos Cyclades, Karpathos Dodecanese, Kos Dodecanese, Rhodes Dodecanese, Limnos N. Aegean, Thassos N. Aegean, Samothraki N. Aegean, Lesvos N. Aegean, Ikaria N. Aegean, Corfu Ionian Islands, Zakynthos Ionian Islands, Cephallonia Ionian Islands, Paxi Ionian Islands.