Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Finland
Attraction of the Month, Finland
Capture a photo of brown bears roaming free in the Finnish wilderness Bear Centre in Finland makes it possible for humans to see and photograph brown bears, wolves, foxes and even wolverines, comfortably and up close, having enticed bear watchers to its premises since 1999. By Ester Laiho | Photos: Bear Centre
Bear Centre is situated in Vartius, Kuhmo, a little over a mile from the Russian border, an hour and a half from the city of Kajaani, and a threehour drive from northern Finland’s biggest city, Oulu. Here, you have a 90 to 99 per cent chance of seeing brown bears, depending on the season. The next opportunity to set your eyes on the 104 | Issue 138 | January 2022
biggest predators found in Finland is in the spring. The bear season starts at the beginning of April with a white blanket of snow, continuing through the green summer, and ending with the vibrant colours of autumn in October. The founder and CEO, Ari Sääski, explains the unique nature of Bear Cen-
tre: “Long gone are the days of admiring captive animals. Here at Bear Centre, you are a guest in their natural habitat. The joy of witnessing these great beasts is made better by the suspense and the serenity of the landscape.” Sääski also believes that the pandemic has made people understand and appreciate nature better. “Here in Finland, we’ve always been quite in touch with nature, but I think this bond has been made even stronger over these past two years, with people finding Covid-19-friendly pastimes.”
