Wildlife of Finland

Wildlife of Finland is affected by prevailing environmental conditions. Phytogeographically, Finland is shared between the Arctic, central European, and northern European provinces of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. The territory of Finland can be subdivided into three ecoregions: the Scandinavian and Russian taiga, Sarmatic mixed forests, and Scandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslands. Taiga covers most of Finland from northern regions of southern provinces to the north of Lapland. On the southwestern coast, south of the Helsinki-Rauma line, forests are characterized by mixed forests, that are more typical in the Baltic region. In the extreme north of Finland, near the tree line and Arctic Ocean, Montane Birch forests are common.

Habitat types

The habitat types of Finland have been divided in eight groups by prevailing environmental conditions, and by the plant and animal species typical of such areas. The groups consist of habitat types of the Baltic Sea, its coast, inland waters and shores, mires, forests, rocky habitats, traditional rural biotopes and fell habitats.

Species

Main article: Fauna of Finland

The number of species living in Finland has been estimated to be at least 45 000. At the moment, known fauna consists of 27 000 species, flora of 4500 species and fungi 7500 species. The largest group is insects, over 20 000 known species and estimated total 30 000 known species. The following estimates of numbers of species in different groups are primarily based on the 2010 Red List of Finnish Species.

Birds

In all 468 species of birds have beenobserved. Of these 256 are nesting species.

Insects

Over 20000 species of insects have been identified in Finland. These include

• Bristletails (Thysanura): 6
• Leapers (Orthoptera): 32
• Earwigs (Dermaptera): 3
• Cockroaches (Blattodea): 4
• True bugs (Hemiptera): 1542
• Net-winged insects (Neuroptera): 57
• Dobsonflies and fishflies (Megaloptera): 5
• Snakeflies (Raphidioptera): 3
• Scorpionflies (Mecoptera): 6
• Booklice (Psocoptera): 71
• Thrips (Thysanoptera): 151
• Caddisflies (Trichoptera): 218
• Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera): 2559 (>> list of produced barcodes)
• Flies and mosquitoes (Diptera): 6400
• Twisted-winged parasites (Strepsiptera): 5
• Fleas (Siphonaptera): 54
• Ants, bees and wasps (Hymenoptera): 7100
• Beetles (Coleoptera): 3697

Other animals

• Reptiles (Reptilia): 5
• Mammals (Mammalia): 80
• Fishes (Pisces s.l.): 102
• Amphibians (Amphibia): 7
• Annelids (Annelida): 179
• Molluscs (Mollusca): 165
• Arachnids (Arachnida): 2200
• Crustaceans (Crustacea): 350
• Myriapods (Myriapoda): 63

Plants

Total of 3550 species of vascular plants, 892 bryophytes and 1832 lichens have been identified in Finland.

Fungi

At the moment 5584 species of Fungi and Myxomycetes (Protista) have been identified in Finland.

• Agaricoid & Boletoid fungi: 1 821 species
• Aphyllophorales & Heterobasidiomycetes: 950
• Gasteromycetoid fungi: 79
• Pucciniomycetes, Ustilaginomycotina: 407
• Ascomycota: 2 106
• Myxomycetes: 204

Protected areas

Nature reserves, wilderness areas and hiking areas established on state-owned lands are the central parts of the protected area system in Finland. Almost all of these are included in the European Union’s network of Natura 2000 areas. In 2012 Finland had 1,865 Nature 2000 areas, the combined area of which measures 49,000 sq. km or 15% of Finland’s territory.