Finland – Land of the Midnight Sun
Finland is a beautiful clean country seemingly devoid of people and cars…..well almost!
It is approximately one and a half times the size of England but with only 5.5 million inhabitants. The land mass is 80% rivers, lakes and forest, so going out from the major towns Mother Nature beckons in all directions.
For us wildlifers, it is a paradise. Not being pushed along by other car drivers, or being honked and hooted because you need to stop to photograph something wild or to just admire the stunning scenery. One tends to start at the one major international airport, Helsinki, and then fly internally to either Kajaani, or Olou. A hire car is then required to get you to the Taiga forest…..
This dense wilderness covers the Eastern side of the country and spans the border with Russia. This is where there are more animals than homosapiens and in particular…. big brown bears. Yes, the Eurasian Bear is doing quite well here. They are very much like the North American grizzlies but three-quarter size. There is no physical border with Russia so the bears are able to roam freely between the two countries; so of course they are multilingual and have dual nationality!
A number of enlightened people have converted old border posts into comfortable lodges where local naturalists are employed to guide you to purpose-made hides deep in the forest and swamp areas. Our last trip saw us take in three different centres that are now established as some of the best places in the world for viewing these huge creatures. Part of the thrill is the journeys between, with the road mainly devoid of traffic in these remote parts. It is easy to lose track of time when continually stopping to photograph Moose, Elk, Forest Reindeer and Ptarmigan just ambling along at the side of the road. White Tailed Eagles and Great Grey Owls are not uncommon. All the animals seem habituated to us humans; they rarely run away.
Our first port of call was the most famous Martin Selkosen centre, where there are quite comfortable facilities and good wholesome food. It is not 4* and doesn’t pretend to be. The daily scenario is totally different from any other wildlife trip. The daytime is yours to wander, explore, even a hot sauna, which is a speciality in such a place, until 3-4pm when you have an early supper. Then you are driven off to a remote edge of the forest, followed by a 20 minute trek to your base for the night. There is a large communal hide taking 10-12 people and a number of smaller one/two-man cabins for serious photographers. Here you stay from approximately 5pm until 7am the next morning.
It is the land of the midnight sun; it never gets truly dark in the early summer months and, apart from a few hours in the middle of the night, there is enough light for photography.
In our photographers’ hide there was barely enough room for two, with a simple bunk bed and a convenience bucket in the corner. But, we photographed a dozen different bears over the period and action almost continuous with bears as close as 10 yards away at times, it was an almost unreal experience. Of course the bears are tempted with food placed strategically around the surrounding area. They would never be seen otherwise, but they are truly wild and there is no guarantee with sightings. They come and go as they please. Two nights spent in different hides gives you the opportunity to get a wide variety of shots, forest, lake and swamp. Seeing a bear bathing or cubs climbing trees is a delight.
But whilst the primary target species were the bears, other more elusive furry friends were on the photographic menu as well. Our next stop was the Wild Bear Lodge, co-owned by the same family as Martin Selkosen, but some 85 miles and a 2½ hour drive away. Again, a converted ex-border post. Enroute we encountered Forest Reindeer traversing the road at their own pace and not in the least bothered by us. These enigmatic creatures are endemic here and viewing them quite close up, it was easy to see why Santa employed them.
The daily format is much the same, taking in local culture and landscapes during the day and overnight in the hides. One is always caught between catching up on sleep and sightseeing.
Apart from the obvious change of scenery, the two nights here had a different emphasis…..Wolves and Wolverines, as well as Bears. Whilst Bears are nowhere near as forthcoming here, we had to be patient for other creatures of the night. A wolverine can be best described as an oversized stoat. They are very dark in colour and rarely show themselves. Being omnivores, they do catch smaller furries and will tackle much larger predators when confronted. They are ferocious fighters known to see off even a wolf. Our friend Goetz from Germany took this great shot, which we just missed. No wolves here though.
Along to our final destination, Kuikka Lake and Lodge, yet another 2½ hour journey with more wonderful scenery and occasional wildlife. As with the other lodges this one skirts the Taiga forest and is equally remote. There were more elk on the road than cars.
It was even more rustic and challenging that the previous ones. Another two nights in different hides gave us some magical moments, not in numbers but in some surely never to be repeated. Yes, we did get a few really unique bear shots, but one creature had eluded us for five days….the Wolf. This sub species, one of the largest, is now protected and becoming more prolific. It is the arch predator, a carnivore feeding on moose, deer and any of the other ungulates. And yes we did see one!
It was late one evening that he approached from away on the far side of the marsh. We stared in amazement as he stalked along in the wet grass border; mesmerized, we almost forgot to photograph this magnificent animal. He stayed around for nearly an hour and glanced our way just once or twice and then he disappeared.
So mission well and truly accomplished. We will return.
Graham Brace
The logistics of tying up air flights, lodges and car hire are really quite difficult for the individual. Thus we would recommend Wildlife Worldwide….
https://www.wildlifeworldwide.com/
or email directly one of their experienced planners….