*** WILD BROWN BEARS OF EASTERN FINLAND ***

Distribution of Bears in Finland


The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is the largest of Finland's 4 native large carnivores, the others being Wolf, Lynx and Wolverine; they are held in great respect as the national animal of Finland. There are currently estimated to be around 1,600 wild Brown Bears in Eastern Finland along the Russian border mainly in North Karelia and Kainuu (see distribution chart left).
Brown Bears are only partly carnivorous, living off both meat, fish, insects but also vegetable matter such as berries, mushrooms, roots and shoots. Unlike other large carnivores, bears hibernate through the winter in dens under the deep snow. Although bears look ungainly with their thick fur, they can move very rapidly and climb well; they range over 100s of miles of territory travelling up to 30kms mainly overnight.

Our photographs were taken on an overnight safari at the Martinselkosen Eräkeskus
 (Wilderness Centre) bear-watching hides deep in the forests of Eastern Finland.
<Click on Thumbnail for full-sized picture   -   then Click on full-sized picture to return to Thumbnails>

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