Parth three of additional info about interesting mammal species occurring in Finland

In this item we highlight about two species, usually lesser known but certainly just as interesting local fauna, seen during EB5 trips.

The Siberian Flying Squirrel

Like elk, we haven’t been too successful for this Finnish pearl in recent years. So, looking for a decent alternative was a necessary improvement to the trips we have on offer. We proudly can say we have now also found a very reliable place for this enigmatic mammal.

Below are two atmospheric moments from reports we made for Naturetrek ; one of the biggest British ecotourism companies. In the joint venture we have with them, we act as a local agent who plans and guides their Finland’s mammals tour on site. This is based on field knowledge of species and areas as well as an independent network of contacts. All this after a first visit to the country in 1995.

: The absence of aspens in a habitat of Siberian flying squirrels is unthinkable. After all, they need the trees to forage and often you will also find their nesting cavity in them © Jan Kelchtermans

Wednesday 3/07/2024

A drive of about half an hour takes us to a beautiful local forest. When we prepare ourselves to protect us against the many mosquitoes and horseflies, several bird species can be heard – common crossbills, bullfinches and goshawk. We also came across a young mountain hare. It is good to know that when we arrive at the location there are two occupied nest boxes. This after a short walk from the minibus. The nest boxes are not occupied by birds but by the flying squirrels themselves! We position ourselves at the nest box that hangs the most open. This is to facilitate the observation. At exactly 12:54, after yesterday’s elk, the second target species appears. A flying squirrel comes to peek through the opening of the nest box. The animal, which leaves its hiding place quite quickly, then screws upwards towards the top of the tree to which the nest box is attached. When the animal moves to the end of a branch you know that the moment of gliding has arrived. We are lucky enough to see this moment! With outstretched front and back legs, the animal uses the membrane to glide between the trees to its foraging tree a little further away. Our guide points out the tree where the individual has landed. But locating it again afterwards is not easy. Yet it is David who finds the animal again. This is right at the top in the foliage of an aspen tree, one of a cluster of aspens. Everyone succeeds in observing the animal nicely during its foraging. And even then, the observation is not done. We see the young individual return to the nest box. This to hide in it again and rest until midnight. After all, that is the second period when the animals become active again.

: A juvenile Siberian flying squirrel having lunch © Jan Kelchtermans

At 23:40 the flying squirrel appears again at the opening of the nest box. The moment the animal moves to the top of the tree is the sign to quickly move to the alley with the cluster of aspens. We do this to be better positioned strategically to observe the typical gliding flight for which these animals are known. And that strategy works! We see the flying squirrel gliding a few dozen meters through the forest near where we are! Unbelievable! This observation completes the picture!

Friday 11/07/2024

During the meet and greet with the guide for the squirrel excursion, we get good and bad news. The bad news is that the young animal from our previous visit was recently found dead in its nest. The good news is that the other nest box is still occupied by a second individual. Most likely the brother or sister of the unfortunate youngster that was in the first nest box. The nest box where we are now standing is in a forest that is a very typical habitat for flying squirrels. Namely closely spaced spruces with solitary aspen trees crammed in between. The dense vegetation is a kind of natural protection that the forest offers them, since birds of prey have difficulty flying through the trees while hunting the squirrels. The waiting session for the squirrel to appear lasts barely half an hour. But this youngster also quickly screws towards the top of the spruce to which the nest box is attached. This one to glide away quite quickly, with outstretched front and back legs and an unfolded membrane in between, in the direction of an aspen tree. It is tour participant Simeon who points out the tree where the squirrel has landed. This time we are less lucky with spotting the squirrel in the foliage of the impenetrable treetops. So, seeing the animal actively foraging is something that does not work this time. A bit after 9 pm, we go back to the nest box in the hope of observing the squirrel a second time. On the way there it turns out that the short-eared owl from the previous week is still present near the same meadows. The walk through the dense fairytale forest of the squirrels clearly shows how elusive the little creatures are in their habitat. We are happy that we can take up position near one of the nest boxes that our guide has hung up in the area! Afterall, without this help, finding the flying squirrels in this kind of impenetrable forest is like looking for a needle in a haystack! And again, our mosquito-rich waiting session is not in vain. Around 23:00 our little friend is ready again. Taking pictures of it is now a challenge. This is because of the poor light. Fortunately, earlier in the day some of us succeeded in that!

: A juvenile Siberian Flying Squirrel just before entering its nestbox after its foraging session at noon © Jan Kelchtermans

The Forest Reindeer

The Finnish forest reindeer Rangifer tarandus fennicus , a rare subspecies of the reindeer native to Finland and northwestern Russia, were hunted to extinction in Finland at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Fortunately, several individuals migrated across the border from Russian Karelia to Kuhmo, Finland. The wilderness of Elimyssalo is known as the area where the wild forest reindeer returning to Finland first appeared and settled. Elimyssalo is characterized by spruce forests, typically covered with beard lichen. The labyrinth of wide, diverse bogs, pine stands, small lakes and ponds crisscrossed by lush stream banks, makes a walk in the area while guiding, a landscape revelation every time we are stationary near Kuika basecamp ; Finland’s most famous wolf watching location.

The reindeer population in the Kuhmo area fluctuates in numbers as weather conditions and local predators can have a dual effect of negatively affecting both their survival in general and their reproduction. Currently the population would fluctuate between 800 and 1200 individuals. A different, current population of about 2000 individuals, can be found in Central Finland too. This entire population descended from a dozen individuals that were captured at the time (end of the 1970s – start of the 1980s) in Kuhmo.

An artificial made cattle fence combined with grid-like reindeer stops have not proven to be 100 % reindeer proof, but they both do decrease significantly the traffic between semi-domestic reindeer and wild forest reindeer.

: Finnish wild forest reindeer. An experienced eye notices these subtle differences: a longer muzzle and antlers that are thinner and more compact compared to semi-domesticated reindeer © Jan Kelchtermans

: Lush banks of streams are a typical landscape feature of Elimyssalo ; the area where the wild forest reindeer returning to Finland first appeared and settled © Jan Kelchtermans

: In summer time the wild forest reindeer alternates feeding on leaves of trees and bushes in the vast taiga forest with feeding on lichen on the more open moorlands © Jan Kelchtermans

So, in terms of ungulates, the wild Finnish forest reindeer is perhaps Europe’s most interesting mammal. They made a comeback from Russia, show migratory behavior and share their habitat with four top predators. In addition, they are shy, rare and always on the run from the ever-present mosquitoes during the summer. This makes locating them a challenge. Something we at EB5 love! Fortunately, we know of a reliable location near Kuhmo where we have consistently found a few animals in recent years. And this year it went very well. Within five minutes we managed to locate individuals! Below are the field reports in brief regarding those encounters in July 2024. Based on local info, was truly exceptional as these nomadic cervids struggled to survive last winter. Sudden snow thaw (and frost afterwards) in January, made lichen, their main food source, inaccessible under a thick layer of ice. Many animals died of starvation and weakened animals fell prey to predators such as wolves, wolverines and lynx.

Friday 5/07/2024

As a standard procedure, a night session in the hide is followed by a nap. The next hour is agreed in the central dining room to eat lunch: 3 pm. Later we leave the hotel to explore a nearby location for the presence of the next main target species: Finnish wild forest reindeer. Almost immediately we come across a male that is resting on a sandy verge bordering a forest path. The animal shows itself nicely and is photographed. A little further on we also find a female. When stretching our legs during the reindeer safari, we hear and see a resident couple of cranes, curlew, merlin, cuckoo and quite a few species of thrush. The easy score in terms of observation of this ungulate ensures that everyone has the opportunity to have a normal night’s sleep. Many do this after dinner.

: Wild forest reindeer is slightly bigger than semi-domesticated reindeer and, tipically, has longer legs © Jan Kelchtermans

Saturday 13/07/2024

At 3 p.m. we leave the hotel to explore a nearby location for the presence of the next main target species: Finnish wild forest reindeer. Just like on the previous trip, we almost immediately come across an adult male that is resting in an inactive quarry. The lack of vegetation here causes them less trouble from the mosquitoes present. When we approach the animal while walking, it initially just lies there. It is only when we alert it to our presence that the animal stands up and stares at us. After stretching its legs and some sniffing and stamping on the spot, the animal disappears from the quarry at a trot. A little further on we see another individual – a female. This time in dense vegetation. A few go after it armed with cameras and binoculars. Together with the ever-present mosquitoes, this provides pictures in a more natural setting than the adult male before!

Thank you

A special thanks to Tom Mabbett on his Naturetrek desk in Mingledown Barn, Wolf’s Lane, Chawton – Hampshire. Ditto a heartfelt thank you to all their enthusiastic and interested customers! Sincere thanks to John Wright for his amendments and edits regarding the grammatical content of this news item. A professional contribution that is warmly appreciated by EB5!