FAUNA

The abundance of Lapland’s species of fauna is not very large, but all the more impressive nevertheless. The most common and best known animal is the reindeer that is an essential part of Lappish nature. In the same way as its original form, the caribou, the reindeer has perfectly adapted itself to the harsh conditions of Lapland and Lapland is home to around 200,000 reindeer. Lapland’s predatory animals, such as the wolverine, bear and wolf, are the reindeer’s natural enemies.

Reindeer are semi-tame yet timid animals, so they usually avoid people. There is, however, one exception during September – November which is the mating season for reindeer, a time when the male reindeer or bulls may attack an approaching person. The female reindeer or doe gives birth to its calves in the spring around mid-May. This is a time when the worst of the mosquito swarms have yet to come, so the doe can nurse its calf without worrying about the annoying bloodsuckers. In the summertime, the most important nutrition for the reindeer is birch leaves, hay, grasses and lichen. In the autumn and winter reindeer dig nutrition, such as lichen, twigs and grass from beneath the snow.

The most common of Lapland’s birds of prey is the rough-legged buzzard that is related to the buzzard, and its numbers depend on the numbers of rodents. The rough-legged buzzard thrives in the same areas as the Norway lemming, which is the most common rodent in Lapland fell highlands. The size of the lemming population fluctuates each year according to changing climate and numbers of predators. Finland’s largest eagle population lives in Lapland and the most common birds are the bog lark, northern wheatear and willow warbler found from birch groves.