If you go out to the woods today in parts of Finland, you might get a big surprise. That"s because about 2,000 brown bears can be found freely roaming the taiga—or boreal forest—which covers most of the country, making this rugged wilderness in northern Europe the perfect place to see these majestic animals in their natural habitat. And bear watching is a popular pastime in Finland. The bear-watching season begins in April—when the first bears emerge from hibernation in a white blanket of snow—and lasts until fall. Summer nights are the best time to spot the bears, even under the golden glow of the midnight sun for those who venture north of the Arctic Circle. Many observe the creatures from the safety of a "hide," a purpose-built wooden cabin offering visitors a close-up view of a real teddy bear"s picnic.
Bear watching in the Finnish forest
Today in History
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Remembering the Arizona
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Boxing Day—a shopper’s delight
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This park is Superkilen
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Engineering an artificial harbor in Normandy
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Vietnam’s new bridge deserves a big hand
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Every day is Napping Day for this screech owl
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National Park Week: Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii
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Cecropia leaf and lobster claw petals in Mexico
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Old Town of Rovinj, Croatia
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‘Ciao’ from Varenna
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A path to access
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Commemorating the life of a famous railroad conductor
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Ready for takeoff
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Legacy mural in Philadelphia
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Sunlight sets Iceland s Eyjafjallajökull aglow
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Presidents Day
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Languid life on the Lakes
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Freeze frame
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Dancing waters of Dubai
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‘You should see the one that got away!’
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International Day of the Tropics
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Humpbacks return to the Inside Passage
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Bringing the moon to Earth
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Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil
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Dance of the egret
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Grand finish of Le Tour
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World Jellyfish Day
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An inland ocean
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International Haiku Poetry Day
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Design for Each and All