Sweden's Mammals

It is just a short international flight from Stansted to Västerås and a drive of less than an hour to the tranquil and beautiful forests of central Sweden, home to such mammals as Elk, Wolf, Lynx and Brown Bear, all long since extinct in the British Isles. It is these sought-after animals on which we will focus during this fascinating 5-day holiday amongst the scenic lakes and dense forests of Sweden’s Bergslagen and Hälsingland regions, in both of which these larger mammals far outnumber the local human population.

Our guide, Marcus Eldh, lives in these forests and spends much of his time tracking and watching its 4-legged inhabitants, to which he is deeply devoted. He will lead us on foot through the forests using only the animal trails, and will share with us his knowledge of tracking both Elk and Wolves and demonstrate various ways of communicating with them, some of which have been used by the region’s hunters for thousands of years. It is a magical experience to hear these creatures respond, and Marcus has had great success calling to local Wolf packs over the years.

On arrival at Västerås (a small airport to the west of Stockholm with a tiny, sparkling and uncongested terminal likely to take little more than a few minutes to negotiate!), we head north into the forests of Bergslagen to the small, family-run, Udden Guesthouse which overlooks a tranquil lake. This delightful guesthouse is a short drive from the Bergslagen Wildlife Research Station. Here researchers work to conserve such species as Wolf, Lynx and Brown Bear and we will visit the research station during our stay to learn about their work, and the lives of these rare and secretive predators.

On our first evening we will search the forests, by vehicle and on foot, for Elk (or Moose, as it is known in north America), the ‘king of the forest’ and the mightiest of all Nordic animals. With a population of over 400,000, Sweden boasts more Elk per square kilometre than any other country in the world, and in these ‘royal forests’ it is possible to see 20 or 30 of these magnificent animals in an evening, as well as such other mammals as Roe Deer, Mountain Hare, Red Fox and, very occasionally, Wolf.

Next day we will explore the forests of the region, enjoying their birdlife and such mammals as Red Squirrel. Then, in the evening, we will take to one of the nearby lakes where Beaver is common, travelling silently by electric boat. We are likely to pass several Beaver lodges along the way and, as dusk falls, we will search for the inhabitants of these lodges as they commence their busy evening activities.

We will spend our third day exploring the territory of a local Wolf pack, walking in the forests and swamps of the region looking for signs and tracks of the pack. A sighting of these Wolves in such dense terrain is a rarity but, as dusk falls, we will enjoy dinner over the camp fire in the heart of the forest and Marcus will call to the pack and endeavour to attract a response — for the howling of Wolves at night is one of the most memorable experiences that the natural world has to offer!

For our final night in Sweden, we will drive to the lakes and rolling forested hills of Hälsingland for a night in the comfortable Bear Hide of our friends Håkan and Eva, where the silence and stillness is simply intoxicating. The Bear Hide is reached by a gentle amble up into the forest, and offers us one of the best opportunities to see, and hopefully photograph, wild Bears in Sweden. As we walk, we will need to be as quiet as we can, and listen to Håkan as he tells us a little about the Bears and their habits, perhaps pointing out any signs of their presence such as footprints, scratch marks on trees, or raided anthills! The hide is cosy, with comfortable seats and viewing slots at the front, and comfortable beds at the back for those not prepared to sit up all through the night. At the far end is a separate toilet. We will make ourselves comfortable … and hope for the appearance of a Bear whilst our ever attentive host serves us drinks and we enjoy our dinner. No wonder the Bears (and Bear-watchers) like this place!