Protected areas and National Parks in Europe

URHO KEKKONEN NATIONAL PARK

Nature and animals

FactsUrho Kekkonen National Park is located in north-eastern Finland, Lapland The park also known as KoilliskairaThe park was established in 1.May 1983The second nature protection area in FinlandThe park covers the area of 225 000 ha

Location on map

From Helsinki to Urho Kekkonen national park there is about 1070 km distance

Helsinki is the capital of Finland located to south

The College of Central Finland is in Suolahti

SpecialitiesThe most majestic views of forested Lapland.Round shaped and bald fell topsThe rough natureA rich and wide range of speciesThe wildernessOld forests

Everyman’s rightPeople of all nationalities have the right to enjoy the Finnish countryside freely under the traditional Finnish legal concept known as everyman’s right.Special regulations in national parks and many nature reserves additionally limit activities such as:

Camping HuntingThe use of motor vehiclesAccess to sensitive areas during the nesting season

Nature

NatureWide, unbroken fell area

The Raututunturi–Saariselkä fell area is made of Lapland granulite, a rock material formed around 1,900 million years ago. The present-day fells were formed by block movements around 30–50 million years ago.

Watershed area

The national park is a watershed area. Some of the rivers empty into the Arctic Ocean, some into the Gulf of Bothnia. The Urho Kekkonen national park’s waterways consist mainly of rivers and brooks.

Animals

Twentyone different mammals have been encountered in the national park, amongst them Finland's large predators the bear …

BearNational animal of FinlandBiggest predator in EuropeIn Finland there is aproximately 800-1000 bears

Endangered in Finland

Lynx

Lynx is the only wild cat native in Finland

Lynxes prey on hares, rabbits, rodents, wild boar, foxes, roe deer and reindeer

The main method of hunting is stalking, sneaking and jumping on prey.

ReindeerCommon mammal in Finland, expecially in Lapland

It’s not a predator at all, although it may look like one

It eats grass, leafs, lichen and mushrooms

There are many reindeer herds at Northern Finland

WolverineLargest land dwelling species of mustelidaes (weasels)

It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, resembling a small bear more than other mustelids

Adult wolverines have no natural predators, though they do come into conflict with (and may be killed by) other large predators over territory and food

Siberian jaySiberian jay belong to the group of crows

It’s the smallest bird on crow groups in Finland

It eats berries, mushrooms, seeds and insects

It’s also known as ”friend” of rangers, because often it is sighted to come begging for left overs of food in campsides.

Santa ClausEverybody knows that Santa Claus lives in Finland, but you don´t necessarily knew that Korvatunturi is the place where Santa Claus (or Joulupukki in Finnish) is said to live. Korvatunturi is located in south east part of Urho Kekkonen national park. It´s 483m high arctic hill.