The easternmost Natura 2000 site in Cyprus, where limestone cliffs meet the Mediterranean
Kavo Gkreko
Kavo Gkreko is a protected natural area on the southeastern tip of Cyprus, occupying the rocky Cape Greco promontory and the surrounding seascape. Although it is a relatively small site, covering roughly 18.8 hectares of land along with its associated marine zone, it is ecologically significant because of its combination of Mediterranean coastal cliffs, marine ecosystems, and terrestrial habitats in close proximity.
The area is part of the European Natura 2000 network and is formally designated as a Fauna-Flora-Habitat (FFH) site, with overlapping protection under a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds. Its position at the far eastern edge of the island gives it a distinctive character, combining windswept limestone formations, low Mediterranean scrub, seasonal pools, and clear coastal waters.
Kavo Gkreko stands out because it compresses an unusually rich variety of Mediterranean habitat types into a very small area, including seagrass meadows, reefs, coastal caves, phrygana vegetation, juniper matorral, and olive-carob forest remnants. This makes the site an important reference point within Cyprus's Natura 2000 system and a focal area for understanding southeastern Mediterranean coastal biodiversity.
