A short report from Norway over the whole season.

[arcticfly]

Hi!

 

Many probably don´t know about the wildlife in the tiny, cold, expensive country I call home, Norway. I usually go up to the mountains as often as I can to watch wildlife. Along the way to the mountains, a six hour drive from Oslo, you often spot the usual Norwegian animals, like roe deer:

 

They are plentiful and can be seen in clearings. Another common animal to see in the pine forested areas of Norway is moose:

 

In the same area the moose lives lives the predator that eats them, the wolf. Only small numbers of the wolf is present in Norway, and the farmers is trying to get rid of the last few that roams the forest in the eastern part of Norway. But if you are very lucky, you can meet them:

 

 

 

Moving to the higher altitudes, an animal from the past is still roaming. Sharing the habitat with the mammoth, the musk-ox was the lucky ones that survived. We have a healthy population in the Dovre mountains. They are easy to find, walking from the Hjerkinn community towards Snøhetta mountain, you are very likely to see a few. They can be aggressive, so stay at the safety distance (200m). If you do go closer, and the animal attacks you, the bill for rescue helicopter and other rescue workers will be billed you.

 

Sharing the same habitat is the mountain fox. A bit harder to see, but not impossible if you spend a bit of time with binoculars at high altitudes:

 

Raindeer is also present in the same area:

 

 

 

 

This was just a few photos and a short description ov some of the animals that lives close to my home. There is so little written about european animals, so I would like to show you that there is more to see than lions in Africa, although I love Africa to bits :-)

 

 

 

 

[kittykat23uk]

Wonderful! do you have any tips for visiting for the budget conscious traveller?

[wilddog]

Love the fox image and the Musk ox -Magnificent

[arcticfly]

Thanks!

 

Kitty: For animals it depends what you want to see. Musk-ox can be done pretty cheap. Sleep in mountain cabins is about 50-60 GBP a night and sleeps 4. From there it is just a short car trip to the parkinglot at Hjerkinn and from there you just wander in to the wilderness. This is a national park, and it is free to visit, like all national parks in Norway. In that area you can se musk-ox, arctic fox, rain deer, moose, lemmings, grouse, golden eagle, hawks and different owls. Red fox is also present in the lower areas. For bears you need to go all the way to the top of Norway to see them. Expencive place!

 

Another fox:

 

Edited August 28, 2014 by arcticfly

[Big_Dog]

Great photos and it's a great persepective on a little known wildlife area. That wolf image is amazing!

[arcticfly]

Thank you!

 

Going on a bear safari next week. I´ll let you know how it went :-)

[PCNW]

Thank you @Articfly, beautiful photos.

[Atdahl]

@@arcticfly thanks for sharing such great pictures. Norway is indeed beautiful. We took the Hurtigruten a few years back from Bergen to Kirkenes. The coast is fantastic with endless hours of golden light in the summer time. But, I was disappointed at the lack of marine wildlife. The crew attributed it to over fishing but I am don't know if that is true or not. It is great to see the wildlife that can be spotted inland. We will have to make it back there one of these days and see it for ourselves.

[pault]

Great. Thanks for sharing.

[TonyQ]

@@arcticfly

Beautiful photographs - the wolf is superb, but all are excellent. It is great to see animals from a different region.

[Atravelynn]

These are amazingly beautiful and most of these creatures are hard to photograph. Well done arcticfly!

[ld1]

@@arcticfly I've only just seen this as I was in Zimbabwe when you first posted it. Great photos and description of the wildlife. I am hoping to get to the Polar Park in either Feb 2015 or the following winter. I know its a zoo environment, but I hear only good thinks about it. Hopefully one day well get to do a polar bear trip too...Norway has been on my list for years!

[arcticfly]

@Id1 Fenced in animals is the worst thing since black death in my mind. You should go to Svalbard to search for polar bears on a snowmobile. Not overly expensive (in Norwegian terms) and much more rewarding. You will allmost guaranteed see Svalbard rain deer, arctic fox is plentiful, and maybe you see seals. Moose is common in eastern Norway.

 

@@TonyQ When did you go? Norwegian coast come alive in autumn or winter time as the herring comes in to the coast. Orca and whales is all over the place, especially from Ålesund to Tromsø. Going on a divingsafari with whales and orcas next month. Can´t wait :-)

[ld1]

@arcticfkly Thanks Svalbard is on my list, I would one day love to take a trip on the MS Stockholm but fear it will remain out of my price range unfortunately.

[TonyQ]

@@arcticfly

We have not been yet - one for the future!