Observation of wild animals Kuhmo is situated in the boreal coniferous forest zone next to the wide expanses of old wilderness forests of Russia. The fauna and flora include many eastern taiga forest species that do not dwell or grow anywhere else in Europe.There is a good population of all large Finnish predators, bears, wolves, wolverines and lynxes in our region. It is rare to see these animals in nature but we have nevertheless been lucky a few times and viewed a large carnivore on our safaris. In spring, at the turn of April-May, it is a worthwhile experience to observe the magnificent mating rituals of the capercaillie or the noisy dancing of the grouse at close range from a screened hut and still not disturb the birds in their spring frenzy. Beavers, nature’s own engineers, can be viewed from a hut as soon as the ice breaks from around the lodge in late April. Flying squirrel, siberian jay and three-toed woodpecker are also among the eastern species habiting the region. Our winter products include a wolf track safari where we ski in search of tracks of the wolves and wolverines habiting East or South Kuhmo and follow their trails to see what the animals have been up to. It is rare to see wolves but the lonely ranger of the wild, the wolverine, can often be viewed from a screened hut from March on.