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Samos is an island of Greece in the eastern Aegean Sea and off the coast of Asia Minor, from which it is separated by 1.6-kilometres. It is characterised as the most biodiverse island of the Mediterranean.

Samos is one of the sunniest places in Europe with almost 3300 hours of sunshine annually or 74% of the day time. Its climate is mild and wet in winter and dry in summer.

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Regarding the fauna existing in Samos, it presents many similarities with the one on the Mykali Peninsula in the coasts of Asia Minor.

Mammals: Some of the mammals encountered are: the rabbit, the jackal, the wild boar, the bat and the badger. In the sea around Samos there are seals and dolphins.

Reptiles: There are both sea and land turtles and snakes. The biggest snake is the tree snake whose length often exceeds two meters. The only venomous snakes are the viper and the asp.

Lizards: There are many species of lizards in Samos such as geckoes, chameleons, and the Lacerta anatolica Aegean lizard, which can only be found in Samos and the coast of Asia Minor.
Amphibians: From the family of amphibians there are: toads, different species of frogs and tree frogs.

Birds: There are 139 species of birds 39 of which remain in the island throughout the year. Some of them are: the hawk, the grouse, the owl, the spine, the wild pigeon and so on.

Butterflies: In the island there are 69 known species of butterflies.

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Samos is a verdant island with intense topography and great biodiversity. Pine forests coexist with vineyards, olive groves and citrus trees. Due to the geological background and the numerous water sources, caves and gulf caves have been created.
A stunning 1,500 species of plants have been identified on the island, among them 60 species of orchid.

Samos Endemic plants: Asperula samia, Thymus samius
Aegean endemic: Galium samothracicum, Tordylium hirtocarpum, Verbascum icaricum.

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The Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) is a unique animal of great research interest. It is considered a symbolic species in most parts of Europe where it is found. It is a protected species according to Greek and European legislation, as well as international conventions. Samos Island host the last population of the Mediterranean chameleon in Greece. In the past, the species had also been identified in Chios and Crete island, however, there have been no confirmed reports of their existence on these island in recent years.

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The existing small populations of jackals are predominantly located in coastal areas and on the plains, usually fairly close to settlements. It is a very important animal for the ecosystem as they prey predominantly on rodents and help control their populations. Unfortunately however since the end of 1970’s their numbers have been continually declining due to more intensive agriculture and car fatalities . They are also often poisoned even though they rarely attack domesticated animals. The golden jackal has gone from being a common species to being threatened with extinction in only a few years and is today considered an endangered species according to The Red Data Book of Threatened Animals of Greece (Athens, 2009).

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Kerkis or Kerketeas mountain with an altitude of 1,434m, is one of the highest mountains in the Aegean. It forms part of the network of NATURA 2000 protected areas, home for significant bird species, like the long-legged buzzard and the short-toed eagle, as well as rare plants like Consolinda of Samos, Silene Urvillei, Minuartia Anatolica and Centaurea. The mountain occupies a great part of the west area of the island and has an intense geophysical topography. Its distinctive features are the precipitous slopes and ravines of limestone, slate and marble rocks. At an altitude of over 800 metres, the soil is mainly rocky with clusters of rare sclerophyllous shrubs. In the lowlands, there are temperate coniferous forests while the ravines are covered with sycamores, weeping willows and laurels.

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Canidea as a host of Rhipicephalus sanguineus

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Samos is considered to be a hotspot area s an island of Mediterranean which is a biodiversity hotspot.

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Canis aureus as a predator of ovis aries.
Chamaeleo chameleon preys on Ruspolia nitidula.

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Ampelos mountain or "Karvounis" mainly covers the central part of the island and its highest peak is Prophetis Elias, at an altitude of 1,153 m. Pine forests dominate large areas of the mountain . On higher altitudes we encounter “pinus nigra” species  and on the lower ones the “pinus brutia’’. There are also cypresses, oaks, chestnut trees, sycamores, walnut trees, pear trees, apple trees, cherry trees and many kinds of aromatic herbs and plants such as winter savory, oregano, thyme, sage, mountain tea, etc. Many species of wild Samian orchids and saffron are common. Edible mushrooms in varieties like Lactarius deliciosus, Lactarius vinosus, Pleurotus Ostreatus and Lactarius Piperatus, are considered to be of top quality. The greatest part of Ampelos is part of the NATURA 2000 network of protected areas.