Welcome to virtual Petola! Petola is a story corner and photo gallery of the Suurpedot.fi-website, but also a visitor centre in Kuhmo, maintained by Metsähallitus. The Kuhmo Visitor Centre Petola with its enchanting exhibitions is worth a visit when you want to learn more about the large carnivores of Finland.
Petola is the learning corner of the Suurpedot.fi-website, complete with stories and galleries. The actual Petola Visitor Centre in Kuhmo, operated by Metsähallitus, is closed until further notice starting from December 2025. If you want to get to know Finland’s large carnivores better, virtual Petola offers immersive information about them.
Lynx on the Petola nature trail. Photo: Visitor Center Petola.
Learn to know the large carnivores of Finland in pictures and video films. Go to Gallery.
Kuhmo Visitor Centre Petola is home to Finland's large carnivores and offers a window on the Kainuu wilderness. Here you can obtain information on the brown bear, the wolf, the lynx and the wolverine. Read more.
Humans and large carnivores have always lived side by side in Finland. Attitudes towards the animals have varied from good to bad over time. The myths and legends surrounding these animals have affected the attitudes and often incited fear and even hatred against our large carnivores. Read more
Large carnivores have always interested humans. Their large size and noticeable presence have both caused concern and sparked our interest. They are social and warm-blooded mammals, just like us, if only a bit hairier. They compete for the same food sources as us and they can be a potential threat t...
The authorities responsible for large carnivores in Finland areThe Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, The Finnish Ministry of the Environment , The Finnish Wildlife Agency, The Natural Resources Institute Finland and Metsähallitus (the Finnish Forest and Park Service). Also a wide variet...
LIFE BOREALWOLF conveyed information about wolves and their behaviour, promoted local interaction and provided tools for the prevention of adverse impact and losses caused by wolves.