A significant, previously unknown population of freshwater pearl mussel was found in the Ivalojoki watershed in Finnish Lapland. The cooperative Lumimuutos discovered it during restoration work in the Sámi homeland in summer 2025; authorities are withholding the exact location.
Temperatures fell to -29.5°C in Vuotso, Sodankylä, the coldest reading so far this winter in Finland. Other Lapland sites also saw severe cold, and November is running much colder than normal.
Arctic AirService says a strong wind gust in the Kaldoaivi wilderness caused its floatplane to tip over while taxiing on a lake. The captain evacuated everyone, provided life jackets, and the group swam to shore; one person was checked at Kirkenes hospital.
In Karasjok this spring, bears, lynx and a golden eagle attacked an enclosed reindeer herd, killing around 100 animals, while five state agencies coordinated the response and initially denied a permit for lethal control.
A dead moose calf in Karasjok was found with moose botfly larvae in its throat, marking a potentially first reported occurrence of this parasite in inner Finnmark, Norway, raising concerns about its impact on local wildlife.
In Finnmark and parts of Troms, good and favorite berry bogs have cracked and disappeared. The reason is warmer and more humid climate. "Almost impossible to reverse," says a bog researcher.
Extreme amounts of snow in Finnmark presents major challenges for grazing animals. Per John Anti met a herd of 36 moose that had gathered.
"It is unusual for bears with youngsters to wake up so early and it is difficult to say why these have come out. The bears may have been disturbed by humans or other animals."
Powder on the ground is nearly one meter deep in some parts of Finland's northernmost region.
Dozens of moose carcasses were discovered last spring in a Lapland national park, and Finland animal disease watchdog Evira has since determined that the animals died of malnutrition. The reason why they were unable to find sustenance is a mystery, as the area had relatively normal temperatures and snowfall last winter.
The skiing season ended in Northern Lapland in mid-May, but the weather there is still so cold and snowfall so frequent that the Saariselkä resort will temporarily reopen its slopes, which are currently up to a metre deep in snow.
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