Meeting a large carnivore
If you come across a large carnivore in the wild, keep calm. You should not shout or turn your back on the animal.
This website is the number one source of information on Finland's large carnivores. We offer objective and reliable information and help people coexist with these animals.
The website is maintained by Metsähallitus, the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Finnish Wildlife Agency, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) and the Finnish Ministry of the Environment.
If you come across a large carnivore in the wild, keep calm. You should not shout or turn your back on the animal.
Large carnivores elicit strong reactions from people. On the one hand they are feared and hated, and on the other there is a desire to protect them and they are viewed as symbols of the wilderness. In reality, most people know fairly little of our large carnivores.
The views held by Finns are sometimes conflicting when it comes to the population management and conservation of large carnivores. In order to piece together these different views, national management plans are created.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has adopted the updated Management Plan for the Lynx Population in Finland and confirmed the hunting quota for lynx for the period 2021–2022. The management plan is a key element of the policy on large carnivores and management of their populations. Read article
Kuhmo Visitor Centre Petola is home to Finland's large carnivores. Petola gives a wealth of information about these predators, and photographs and videos play an important role in the exhibitions of the centre.
Attitudes towards predators have always varied by species. The wise bear has been respected throughout the ages while people have rarely had anything good to say about the cruel wolf. Even though the world has changed, these ancient attitudes are still present in people's minds today.
Find photographs and videos of large carnivores and there way of living in different times of year in the Gallery.
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