In the past, the wild animals were a part of people’s lives in a different way than today. The bear, wolf and other wild animals lived quite close to the humans. This is also why our wild Nordic animals are often found in old fairy tales and legends. Today you will find the Nordic animals at Skansen's upper area.
Brown bear
The brown bear is Sweden’s largest predator and it is a fascinating and mythical animal. At Skansen, the bears are best known for their playful cubs.
Wolf
Of all Sweden’s predators, the wolf arouses the strongest outbursts of emotions. Just imagine that all modern dog breeds probably originate from the wolf.
Wolverine
The wolverine has a reputation for being greedy and hunting just for the love of killing but it is actually quite a bad hunter.
Lynx
Nowadays, the reserved Lynx is quite common in Sweden and has spread all over the country.
Moose
The moose is the largest animal in the Swedish forests, and has in many ways become a symbol for Sweden. It arouses so much interest that there has developed a whole tourist industry around the moose.
Wild boar
The first wild boars immigrated to Sweden about 10 000 years ago. The wild boar is a very reserved animal that avoid contact with humans.
European bison
A European bison can easily run at a speed of 50 km per hour and can jump over a three-meter wide trench or two meter high fence.
Red fox
The red fox is one of the world's most widespread animal. It is active year round and in all environments, even in parks and residential areas.
Grey seal
The grey seal is most common in the Baltic Sea and it is the largest seal species in Swedish waters. It can get up to three meters long and can weigh 300 kg.
Harbour seal
The harbour seal is small and slim with a globular head. One obvious characteristic are the V-shaped nostrils.
Otter
The otter was almost extinct in Sweden in the 1950's but it is now increasing in numbers again. It eats mostly fish but also frogs and small mammals.
Eagle owl
Young eagle owls can fly long distances in search of a home range but then they usually stay in one place for the rest of their lives.
Snowy owl
The snowy owl's beak and feet are covered with feathers as insulation against the cold. It is white all year round to easily blend into the snowy landscape.
Great grey owl
The great grey owl is one of Sweden’s largest owls. Except when it has young ones, the great grey owl is peaceful and often quite fearless towards people.
