

http://virtual.finland.fi/Nature_Enviro ... index.html
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. Moose 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.
Below is: The capercaillie is an impressive sight, especially during its elaborate spring courtship displays. Although its numbers have fallen due to the widespread disturbance of forest habitats, there are still more than 100,000 pairs of capercaillie in Finland today.
How does "Finnish Landing" show in this photo below? Finnish National Bird
called the Whooper Swan...
Heikki