Part three of midsummer hide watching in Finland in 2024

Despite unnaturally learned behavior in apex predators due to artificial bait, a night in a hide to observe large carnivores in no man’s land, is and remains spectacular. Moreover, no night is the same. With wolves and wolverines in the same area where brown bears appear, there is also a chance of observing interaction between these three different carnivores. In July 2024 we again were fortunate to witness three such encounters.

A third atmospheric report of such an observation: a feeding pack of three wolves showing natural hierarchy within their pack are suddenly interrupted by an approaching brown bear.

At 8:30 in the morning of the 24^th of July, we are already on the road in the direction of Kuhmo. We stopped twice on the way to stretch our legs and have a drink. In Kuhmo itself we refuel before the room allocation and lunch follows. Afterwards follows the classic 45-minute drive to the large carnivore base camp where everyone puts together their own picnic from the buffet. This before the hides are visited. At the start of our hide session, we are entertained by the local avifauna; mainly a black kite and the resident pair of white-tailed eagles supported by a juvenile.

Never have wolves been the first carnivores to appear on the scene. This happens at 20:35. It turns out to be the same alpha pair from almost two weeks ago; this time accompanied by a third pack member. Just like last time, they are completely focused on devouring the hidden salmon; again, mainly the female. Her young need a lot of food! The male also goes looking for food, although less intensely. The third animal barely succeeds in getting food. Judging by his whining and facial expression, you can clearly see that he is lower in the pack hierarchy. For instance, the subordinate wolf spontaneously lies on its back with its tail tucked between its legs, exposing its stomach and throat to the more dominant alpha male wolf. Submissive behavior that acknowledges the submissive–dominant relationship between the two individuals, thereby maintaining order and preventing violence among these three pack mates.

The young animal is also the first of the three pack members that leaves in a westerly direction further away in the vast boggy area. It is only after an hour of being on view that the alpha pair also disappear. More than likely in the forest where their hungry puppies are hidden. Identical to the previous session, we now see Little Lady with Hanglip in her wake. These two bears still seem to chase each other with mating as a possible end goal. It is behavior that, according to Lassi, has never been observed here so late in the season! Around a quarter past eleven we hear the first howling wolf. It is the starting signal for the three wolves to become active again and show up in front of the hides. This is preceded by a whole howling concert of the three wolves that answer each other one by one. Pure magic! After this vocal session, we see the alpha female and the youngster, happily running after each other and jumping on each other, approaching from the east. The male appears more to the west and at the far back of the boggy plain. Once reunited with each other, the trio quickly comes running in our direction again. Now it is mainly the reindeer carcass that is consumed. After all, most of the salmon has been eaten.

After an hour, the relaxed trio all stared suddenly fixedly in an easterly direction. Since their attitude has also changed completely – an intruder is approaching. In appearance, the wolves suddenly look a lot less cheerful. With their forelegs spread, tails pointing upwards, chests out and angry looks, they even look downright aggressive! From the east a brown bear is approaching at high speed. He too, judging by his appearance, clearly shows that a fight is coming. Sounds of huffing, jaw-popping and low growls his warning sounds saying to the wolves that they’re too close.

After the alpha male barks loudly a few times, the trio darts towards the bear. He simply walks on with his head pointed downwards and his ears flat. The wolves surround the bear, who does not move away. In a straight line, he simply continues his journey towards the carcass. The wolves have eaten enough. After all, the interaction has no follow-up. A few moments later, both carnivores share the core area where baiting takes place. When the bear leaves the reindeer carcass to go in search of different hidden delicacies, the wolves are triggered again. It is mainly the alpha male who’s approaching him from behind and gives him a powerful nip in his butt.

Afterwards, the trio clumps together and, with their heads close together, they look somewhat awkwardly at the bear. The bear, who growls a few times, ignores them quite quickly and continues foraging. The wolf trio switches to loving and caring language by licking each other in their mouths, wagging their tails, head rubbing, blinking their eyes and ears. All this to assert dominance, express affection or show subordination. For us, images that are never forgotten! Again, so fantastic to watch!

The bear remains for about an hour; the wolves continue to do so until 01:25! The same bear then appears twice more from the cluster of low pines and bushes that is located directly west of the feeding place. During its second reappearance, however, this brown bear is startled by a much larger and different second brown bear that appears from the east. An individual known to Jan as Browny. And it doesn’t stop there. Little Lady, a small female brown bear, also comes running in!

This time without Hanglip, a resident male brown bear, in her wake previously. Instead, Browny and Little Lady, who first meet and greet each other by sniffing, then go, separately, in search of bait. They disappear again shortly afterwards in an easterly direction. At 5:30 the two briefly appear again from the west. However, it is Redskin, the alpha female wolf, who is the last to pass the scene at around 5:53. She patrols in a straight line from west to east just in front of the hides. Again, in the direction of the forest in which her puppies are hidden. We conclude that, with four different bears, a pack of three wolves and interaction between both species, we have once again witnessed unique observations of large carnivores. Something that can only be done up close here in Finnish no man’s land! Proud, happy and a reason to come over again!

NOTE : THE MOMENT THE BROWN BEAR SHOWED UP AND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE TWO CARNIVORES TOOK PLACE; IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED DURING THE DARKEST PART OF THE NIGHT. DUE TO THE INADEQUATE LIGHT, PHOTOGRAPHING WAS NOT AN OPTION. THAT IS WHY NO PHOTOGRAPHS OF THAT MOMENTUM WERE ADDED IN THIS WRITING.

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!