When wondering what animal represents Finland, typically one will look to the north for the answer.
There are plenty of beautiful animals flourishing through the forests of Finland. The highest concentration of animal and fauna tend to be located in the northern region of Lapland where the human population is the least dense.
There are Bears, Wolverines, plenty of Elk and even an unreasonable amount of plants and birds as well. Understanding what animal represents Finland may surprise you. The reason being is that there are two answers.
The first is one that truly does live in abundance in Finland. The second is a figurehead of Finland and represents the people and how they view themselves.
In this post we will discuss both animals, and how their symbolism differs from one another in how we view ourselves. You will also learn some facts about the rarest animal in Finland and why it is so rare. There are also birds to learn about as well in the Finland which are beautiful, graceful and poised.
What is the mascot of Finland?
The first animal that represents Finland is the Lion as it is the country’s mascot.
The mascot of Finland is the Lion. It can be found on the coat of Arms and the state Flag. State flags are a tad different from country flags and can be referred to as government flags.
The Lion, although much of Finland is too cold for the animal to live in throughout the majority of the year represents, bravery, respect and respectful power amongst the many.
The Lion in Finland’s coat of arms is shown to be somewhat human with the right forepaw morphed into a human arm. The human arm holds a sword to represent power and yielding might.
Though the lion may not be found living in the country of Finland, there are plenty of animals that may make you a touch scared at night!
What animal represents Finland?
The second animal that represents Finland symbolically that lives in abundance inside of the country is the Common Brown Bear.
The Common Brown Bear represents power, and omnipresence. It is viewed as the all-knowing animal and is viewed spiritually as a deity to many Fins.
The Karhun Kansa, also known as people of the bear view the Bear as the most sacred of animals in the tradition. The reason being is that it is viewed to be the age-old ancestor of humans.
Karhun Kansa
The Karhun Kansa is a community of spiritual Finns who hold polytheistic views that were held before the time of monotheism was created. One of their largest celebrations is Bear Celebration.
Bear Celebration (Karhujuhla) happens in the middle of July when the bear is invited to join the people to eat. There are several rituals that are done to help secure the bear’s kindness for the year.
What is Finland’s rarest animal?
The Saimaa Ringed Seal is a seal that has about 400 remaining in the world. It lives in a landlocked lake called Lake Saimaa.
The population initially declined in Finland due to hunting, though there were organizations that managed to bring the population from 100 to over 400 now.
The seal is only found in the one specific lake and can dive to up to 15 meters in the lake. Their dive times are typically 10 to 15 minutes and they feed off of what they are able to find underwater.
What is Finland’s National Bird?
The Whooper swan is Finland’s National Bird. The Whooper Swans may be Finland’s best survival story of the return of a species.
With 30 Swans left in the country due to overhunting and egg collecting in the 20th century, the population has climbed back to 20,000 over the years.
Whooper Swans are graceful, and hearty when dealing with the cold. They are amongst the last birds to migrate in the winter, and some of the first to re-enter Lapland when the waters unfreeze.
They tend to live a long life after surviving their first year. Many lose their life in their first year due to hitting power lines, or if winter comes too early and it gets too cold.
Conclusion: What animal represents Finland?
The Lion and the Bear represent Finland in different ways. The Lion is the figurative representation of Finland. The Bear is the physical representation of Finland with an overabundance of Brown Bears living in the country.
There are plenty of other animals in Finland to note such as endemic seals, and graceful birds that fly about the country. The Whooper swan has an amazing story of coming back from a population of 30 to over 20,000 birds and counting.
There are plenty of beautiful animals to see in Finland and Lapland holds many wonders for those who wish to visit.
