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Wildlife of Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden
Scenic summer aerial panorama of the Old Town (Gamla Stan) architecture in Stockholm, Sweden. Image via Depositphotos

Offering everything from deep-blue archipelagos and Northern Lights to otherworldly fashions, mouth-watering cuisines, time-old culture, and breathtaking nature, Sweden is a Nordic dream. Let’s explore the fascinating wildlife that has cultural and historical significance to indigenous communities of Sweden.

Introduction to Sweden

sweden cities
Image of winter in Sweden. Image via Jon Flobrant jonflobrant, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

A historical feat to discover, the Scandinavian country of Sweden, situated in Northern Europe, accommodates a population of over 9 million. Sweden has an abundance of smaller coastal islands and natural wonders in the form of countless inland lakes, extensive forests, and glaciated mountain ranges. Sweden works hard to preserve its natural biodiversity. There are flourishing indigenous for, expansive size flower fieldslakeshills, and mountains.

Seasons in Sweden

Northern lights
Northern lights. Image via Depositphotos

In a land with such a variety of terrain as Sweden, these seasons can differ depending on where you live. The Northern Lights dance across the skies in Arctic winter, and the Midnight Sun illuminates the nights in the summer months. From the mighty north’s mountains to the temperate south’s white sandy beaches, there is a place for everyone.

Wildlife of Sweden

Greenery
Greenery. Image via Michael Gil from Toronto, ON, Canada, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sweden is an excellent place if you are interested in wildlife. Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union yet has the second lowest population density. This means there is a large, open wilderness where the wildlife of Sweden has free reign.

#1 Wolf

wild wolf in sweden
Wild wolf. Image via Unsplash

The Eurasian wolf, a subspecies of the Grey wolf, was once widespread throughout Eurasia before the Middle Ages. Sweden shares their wolf population with their Scandinavian neighbor Norway. Currently, around 90 percent of this trans-border population lives in Sweden. The wolves came to Scandinavia from Eurasia after the last ice age some 10,000 years ago, followed by humans, deer, and other mammals. Since then, wolves are a big part of the Scandinavian fauna and cultural history.

#2 Lynx 

lynx in sweden
Eurasian lynx relaxing. Image via Unsplash

A nomadic, nocturnal, and solitary animal is only socialized in the first months of the year. They tend to hibernate until warmer temperatures accommodate them and practice relatively nocturnal lifestyles. These feline creatures mainly hunt reindeer in northern Sweden, and roe deer in the south. Since 1991, this feline creature has been protected in Sweden. Government agencies regulate the hunting of these animals by humans

#3 Moose (European Elk) 

wild moose
Moose spotted in wild. Image via Unsplash

There are around 350,000 moose (Alces alces) in Sweden. Moose, or elk, native to both Northern America and Europe, holds the prize as being Sweden’s most famous animal species. You have a greater chance of spotting a moose further up North. Extensive forest land, marshlands, and abundant shrubbery tick all the boxes for a Moose’s ideal habitat. No wonder they call this place their home.

#4 White Moose

white moose
White moose. Image via Depositphotos.

She was also known as the ‘ghost moose.’ Despite the animal’s all-white appearance, its coloring does not result from albinism. While it’s not common for people to see white moose compared to their brown counterparts, videos of the animal have surfaced. Mainly found on the border of Norway, province of Varmland.

#5 Arctic Fox

fox in sweden forest
Arctic fox sitting in snow. Image via Unsplash

Just over a decade ago, the fjällräven, or arctic fox, was on the brink of extinction in Scandinavia. However, the once dwindling population begins to rise again, possibly due to a joint Norwegian-Swedish feeding scheme. Their fur changes color from season to season, from grayish brown to white or blue-gray, helping with camouflage so that they can range.

#6 Reindeer

Reindeer eye color change
Reindeer eye colors change with the season. Image via Uusijani, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The reindeer is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution and can be found in the Arctic, sub-Arctic regions of northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. There are two varieties: tundra reindeer and forest (or woodland) reindeer. The reindeer of the tundra migrate in numbers of up to hundreds of thousands covering as much as 5,000 km in one seasonal migration. Reindeer are particularly vulnerable during their calving season in April/May. Extra consideration is also needed when large herds have grouped.

#7 European Brown Bear 

grizly bear in sweden
Brown bear in water. Image via Unsplash

The fascinating brown bear lives in the forests and mountains of North America, Europe, and Asia, the most widely distributed bear in the world. The European Brown bear is found in the mountain woodlands, which contrasts the tundra environment of the American-based brown bear. For bears, you have to head north to the provinces of Dalarna, Gävleborg, and Jämtland. These provinces have the highest bear population density in the country.

Wrapping Up

Sweden
Aerial view of the Fyris and the village of Lugnet, Uppsala, Sweden. Jules Verne Times Two, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sweden is a destination to set nature lovers’ sights’ on. From the hospitable people and historical and cultural roots to idyllic landscapes and endemic species, witnessing the wildlife of Sweden is a privilege. Let us know what you think and which animals you would love to encounter in the comment section below!