Agioi Theodoroi (islands)

Agioi Theodoroi
Native name: Άγιοι Θεόδωροι
	The islet of Agios Theodoros.
	Agioi Theodoroi
Geography
Coordinates	35°32′13″N 23°55′52″E / 35.537°N 23.931°ECoordinates: 35°32′13″N 23°55′52″E / 35.537°N 23.931°E
Archipelago	Cretan Islands
Highest elevation	165 m (541 ft)
Administration
	Greece
Region	Crete
Regional unit	Chania
Demographics
Population	0 (2001)

Agioi Theodoroi (Greek: Άγιοι Θεόδωροι) are two uninhabited islets off the coast of western Crete. One is named Agios Theodoros, also called Thodorou, and the islet a few metres further north is called Mikros Agios Theodoros ("Little Agios Theodoros").^[1] Administratively, they are part of the municipality of Platanias, in Chania regional unit. Kri-kri inhabit Agios Theodoros.^[1] Anciently, the islands were known as Coete or Koite (Ancient Greek: Κοίτη) and Akytos.^[2]^[3]^[4]

National park[]

In 1930 the municipality of Agia Marina with the cooperation of the hunting association of Chania decided to make the islands a nature reserve. It was in 1935 that Theodoros Viglis caught one male and two female Kri-kri in Samariá Gorge and released them on Agios Theodoros so that they could breed with integrity since no other goats inhabited the island. This initial small community of Kri-kri was too small to prevent inbreeding and more Kri-kri were introduced to the community.^[1] The isolated community of Kri-kri at Agios Theodoros has been used to provide Kri-kri to zoos around the world.^[5]

History[]

The islands are mentioned in antiquity (2nd half of the third century) in the Stadiasmus Maris Magni, which states that they have potable water.^[3]

In 1583 the Venetians built two small fortresses on Agios Theodoros in part to prevent pirates from using the islands and in part to defend the coast of Crete.^[5]