The Natura 2000 network and the ranges of threatened species in Greece

Abstract Global environmental goals mandate the expansion of protected area network to halt biodiversity loss. The European Union’s Natura 2000 covers 27.3% terrestrial Greece, one highest percentages in Europe. However, extent which this protects Europe’s biodiversity, especially a biodiverse country like is unknown. Here, we overlap country’s with ranges 424 species assessed as threatened on IUCN Red List and present Greece. overlaps average 47.6% mapped range species; far exceeds that expected by random networks (21.4%). Special Protection Areas Conservation (non-exclusive subsets sites) 33.4% 38.1% respectively. Crete Peloponnese are two regions percentage species, sites overlapping 62.3% species’ for former, but only 30.6% latter. Greek all 62 listed Annexes 1 II Birds Habitats Directives at least partially overlapped (52.0%), 18.0% these fully overlapped. 27 endemic not all. These results can inform national policies protection beyond current sites.