What is the national animal of Finland?

The brown bear is the national animal of Finland. Its scientific name is Ursus arctos, a widespread species found across parts of Europe, Asia, and North America.

In Finland, the brown bear has deep cultural roots. Finnish traditions have often portrayed it as the king of the forest, and older Finnish folklore treated bears with a mixture of respect, fear, and reverence. The bear also appears in Finnish mythology under names such as Otso, a legendary bear spirit associated with the forest.

Finland’s brown bears belong mainly to the Eurasian brown bear population. They are powerful omnivores whose diet can include berries, plants, insects, fish, and mammals. Although brown bears can live in many habitats, Finland’s extensive forests and sparsely populated northern landscapes provide important refuge for them.

The brown bear is sometimes confused with the reindeer, which is strongly associated with Finnish Lapland and tourism. The Saimaa ringed seal is another famous Finnish animal, but it is a threatened native subspecies rather than the country’s national animal. Finland’s national animal is specifically the brown bear.