Nature and Wildlife

Finland’s claim to be one of Europe’s last wildernesses is well-founded. The country, covered with broad lakes and enormous forests, is bigger than the UK but contains only a twelfth of its population, so getting away from the crowds is much easier here than in many other European countries. The forests, dominated by birch, pine and spruce, are also home to some exotic wildlife.

About 1,000 brown bears inhabit Finland, for example, but although they have grown bolder in recent years, they are essentially shy of humans and you are unlikely to encounter them in the forest. Elks are also very common: you should take the warning signs on Finnish roads very seriously, since these large animals can appear suddenly on the road and are slow to budge. In the far north, the lynx is still a native, but you’ll be very lucky to spot one in the wild. The reindeer, on the other hand, is extremely common in Lapland in the north, and you would be unlucky not to spot these creatures while driving above the Arctic Circle. These animals are semi-domesticated but are allowed to roam to find food. Reindeer herding remains an important source of livelihood for the Lapp population, and the round-ups in autumn are a dramatic spectacle.

In the Helsinki area – even in the central areas - impressively large hares are common, as well as pheasants and red squirrels. A rare species of flying squirrel also inhabits pockets of forest close to the capital. Finland’s birdlife includes the capercaillie and the magnificent whooper swan, which is the national bird. Completing the wildlife picture are Finland’s plentiful fish; the coastlines, lakes and rivers provide happy hunting for fishermen, with salmon, rainbow trout, Arctic char, whitefish, perch and pike-perch some of the more common species.

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Click on to National Parks in Finland




	Finland on NASA's 'Top Ten' Photos Aurora Borealis and lights in Finland, Russia, Estonia and Latvia are featured in this digital still picture taken by the Expedition 11 crew aboard the International Space Station. Aurora Borealis picture is one of the Crew Earth Observations 'Top Ten' Photos from the International Space Station Ast ... Read more


	National Parks with Unique Natural Sights The national parks include many unique natural sights, such as rapids, rift valleys and eskers. Localities with outstanding picturesque scenery or panoramic views have also been selected for preservation. In yet other places the aim has been to preserve landscapes affected by human habitation and by ... Read more


	Midnight Sun and Northern Lights Around Midsummer in northern Finland, the sun does not set for several weeks. In Utsjoki, for example, a single, long summer day lasts for over two months. Even in the south, the ’night’ consists of a period of prolonged twilight rather than real darkness. The magical displays of shifting coloured ... Read more


	National Parks in Finland Nature protection is the primary function of national parks.The national parks are protected areas exemplifying the more valuable and characteristic habitats and land forms in the country, such as archipelago, lakes, forests, peatlands and fells. The national parks include many unique natural sig Read more


	Flora and Fauna Finland lies as far north as Alaska or central Siberia, with about a quarter of the country north of the Arctic Circle, but conditions here are thankfully not as inhospitable as these latitudes would suggest. The North Atlantic Drift brings so much warm air to north-eastern Europe that average tempe ... Read more


	Geotourism Destinations in Finland Metsähallitus ("Finnish Forest Administration") is a state enterprise that administers more than 12 million hectares of state-owned land and water areas. Metsähallitus has the challenging responsibility of managing and using these areas in a way that benefits Finnish society to the greatest extent p ... Read more