Scandinavia and the Arctic regions are home to many weird and wonderful creatures, as well as some of the biggest and mightiest beasts on the planet. From majestic whales to giant bears, ferocious wolverines and sly lynx, here are some of our favourites:
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The Lynx
A member of the cat family, lynx have golden brown fur covered in spots and stripes, a short stubby tail and large pointy ears. They can be found in many countries all over Europe, but are most commonly found in Scandinavia, the Baltic States and Russia.
The Wolverine
No we’re not talking about the character from The X-Men, we’re talking about the largest member of the weasel family, somewhat resembling a small bear. They may look cute and cuddly, but wolverines are actually fierce predators, often hunting animals twice their size. They can be spotted in forests across northern Scandinavia and Finland.
Bears
Nordic countries are not only home to the endangered and fearsome polar bear, typically found around the islands of Svalbard of Norway and Greenland of Denmark, but also the shy brown bears who live mainly in the forests of northern Sweden and Finland.
Whales
The largest and mightiest beast on Earth lives in the waters off the coast of Norway – the blue whale. Weighing up to 140,000 kg and measuring up to 30m long, this gentle giant is most likely to be spotted off the coast of Iceland. Beluga whales are more common, though smaller in size.
The Kraken
First said to be discovered in the Norwegian Sea in the 1700s, the kraken is one of the most infamous monsters of the deep. Many sailors throughout history have claimed to see it, describing it to be the size of an island and shaped like a huge octopus. Why not go on a Norwegian cruise to find out for yourself if it’s just a myth or not?
Want to discover these monsters for yourself
Take a look at all our wildlife holidays for ideas and inspiration. Remember, we can tailor-make any aspect of a luxury or unusual holiday, so if you are looking for something different, just get in touch and our Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland specialists will be on hand to provide expert guidance.
