Bear watching in the Finnish forest Jun 13, 2021

Bear watching in the Finnish forest

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.

© Jules Cox/Minden Pictures

palette

Today in History

Jun 13, 2019A unique elephant encounter in Nantes
Jun 13, 2020A gorge-ous mill in the Causses
Jun 13, 2022Okavango Delta, Botswana
Jun 13, 2023Okefenokee Swamp
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Jun 13, 2025Vila Franca Islet, São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug 18, 2023Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China
Dec 23, 2020Swimming into the season
Jul 9, 2018Gauchos showcase Argentina’s independent spirit
Aug 13, 2018Look to the north sky tonight for the Perseids
Aug 6, 2020Space-age style by the sea
May 28, 2021Freeloaders of the avian world
Mar 24, 2020Springtime in the Mediterranean
Nov 18, 2021Bohemian Switzerland
Oct 24, 202075 years of the United Nations
Feb 10, 2019Groovy!
Oct 19, 2021These laurels are hardy
Apr 4, 2018Mexican giant cardon cactus
Dec 20, 2018Seasonal lights dazzle in Japan
Nov 30, 2021Giving Tuesday
Mar 4, 2019The eloquence of elephants
Aug 6, 2019Storks ready for takeoff
Feb 19, 2021Colorful cows of the reef
Feb 15, 2025The natural ice wall of Misotsuchi, Chichibu, Japan
Apr 4, 2022Norway s Kjeragbolten boulder
Apr 5, 2019A day of death and rebirth
Aug 17, 2025International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend
Jul 18, 2023Great hornbill, Thailand
Apr 13, 2023Hitsujiyama Park, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Apr 17, 2025Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador
Nov 15, 2020What’s blooming in New Zealand?
May 6, 2020The (Inca) empire strikes back
Dec 20, 2022Christmas market at Belvedere Palace in Vienna
Jan 28, 2022Short-eared owl
Apr 27, 2019Aloe in bloom
Dec 3, 2022Art Basel Miami Beach