Wildlife in Sweden

Sweden's largest predator, the brown bear, can weigh up to 350kg. It eats mainly berries, ants and shrubs, but may also hunt voles and salmon. The brown bear hibernates during the winter, and cubs are born every two or three years. Sweden has around 2500 bears in the wild. Read more about Brown Bears in Sweden.

The wolverine is the largest of the mustelids (a group of animals which includes the badger and the otter), and can weigh up to 30kg. In summer the wolverine feeds mainly on birds and mammals, but in winter will eat reindeer killed either by itself or other predators. Protected in Sweden since 1969, the wolverine is still rare in Sweden, with around 450 wild individuals, and it is still one of Sweden's most threatened species. You may spot the tracks of this shy predator on our Discover Wilderness Canoeing in Rogen experience in the beautiful Rogen reserve in north-east Sweden. Read more about Wolverines in Sweden.

The wolf is a social animal, with packs consisting of 10-15 wolves. All the wolves in a pack will be related, e.g. two parents and offspring. During summer, wolves hunt by themselves or in pairs, while in autumn and winter they hunt together in packs to be able to target bigger animals like the elk. The population of wild wolves in Sweden is around 130 individuals. Read more about Wolves in Sweden.

One of the largest birds of prey, the golden eagle has broad wings and a longish tail and a different outline from the buzzard, which is smaller. It loves to glide on air currents, holding its wings in a shallow V. Golden eagles have nesting places and territories which may by used for generations. Read more about Golden Eagles in Sweden.

Sweden's only feline, the lynx weighs 15-30kg, with males being larger than females. The lynx is a skilful hunter, catching hare, wildfowl and voles, as well as larger animals such as roe-deer and reindeer. It mates in March, with young being born in May. In Sweden the lynx has been protected since 1991, and the wild population is now around 1300. Read more about Lynx in Sweden.

Sweden's largest mammal, the male moose can weigh up to 700kg. It has brown to greyish-black, with greyish-white legs. This makes the moose hard to see sometimes in the forests. Moose in Sweden number around 210,000 or up to 350,000 at their summer population peak. The Latin name, Alces alces, is known as a "moose" in North America and an älg (elk) in Sweden. But in North America, an "elk" is a deer-like animal otherwise known as a "Wapiti"! Read more about Moose in Sweden or find the answer to the question "What's the difference between a moose and an elk?"

The beaver became extinct in Sweden in the late 19th century, but was reintroduced from Norway in 1922. Since then it has thrived and populations in Värmland alone number several thousand. It can be up to three feet long not including the tail and weigh up to 65 pounds. Our Timber Rafting on Klarälven and Canoe on Svartälven experiences also give you good chances of spotting this fascinating natural engineer. Read more about Beavers in Sweden.

Arctic foxes do not hibernate and can withstand temperatures of -50 deg C. They are pure white in winter and generally greyish-brown in summer. They may be over a metre long including the tail and weigh up to 8kg. Although they are omnivores, they prefer small mammals such as lemmings, eggs, carrion and berries. Critically endangered with a European mainland population of only around 150, important populations of Arctic foxes inhabit Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve, the setting for some of our dog sledding experiences in northern Sweden. Read more about Arctic Foxes in Sweden and Norway.

The Sea Eagle, or White-Tailed Eagle, is the largest bird of prey in northern Europe. After many years of determined conservation effort, it is now well and truly back from the brink of extinction. Sweden now has around 350 breeding pairs with around 900 young individuals, while Norway has the largest population in Europe with around 11,000 pairs. There are a number of Sea Eagles inhabiting the eastern archipelago and may be seen on our Self-guided Sea Kayaking in St Anna and Gryt experience. Read more about Sea Eagles in Sweden.

The grey seal is the largest of the seal species of Sweden, and may be up to three metres long and weigh up to 300kg. The grey seal will eat many kinds of fish, and while it lives in the sea can survive for long periods on land. One pup is born on an ice floe in February. The population in the Baltic numbers around 6,000. Grey seals inhabit the outer areas of the Stockholm Archipelago.