On the Trail of Bears on a Wildlife Holiday to Sweden

If you're planning on embarking on a wildlife holiday with the whole family, why not head off to Sweden to seek out the resident European Brown Bears? From the safety of a purpose built hide, you can watch out for bears while enjoying the fabulous scenery of the Swedish wilderness. On an incredible wildlife holiday like this, you'll spend your days discovering the countryside, hiking through forests, rambling over the hills and visiting the lakes.

The stars of the show in this wildlife holiday are undoubtedly the bears, and it is at night when you are most likely to see them. Accompanied by an expert, you will spend a night in a hide and, with luck, get to see these amazing creatures in all their glory.

The European Brown Bear

There are very few mammals on the planet that capture the imagination like the Brown Bear and they are, today, a protected species. They depend on having a large area to inhabit and have a great effect on other wildlife species in the ecosystem. They are, therefore, very good indicators for those managing wildlife in the designated areas.

One of the largest living carnivores in the world, the Brown Bear varies in size depending on where it resides. Foraging in the early morning and late evening, the bears tend to hide out in forests during the day where there is plenty of vegetation. These bears hibernate from October/December until March/May, although in southern locations they may not hibernate at all.

Brown Bears inhabit various regions in the world, from the edges of deserts to high altitude plateaus, forested areas and even ice fields. In Europe, however, it is the woodlands that the bears favour. As long as they have dense vegetative cover they seem to be quite at home.

Brown Bears do eat meat but are in fact omnivores, with their diet changing with the seasons; they eat grasses in the spring, berries in the summer and nuts and plums in the autumn. Roots, insects and mammals are eaten all year round and one of their favourite foods is honey.

Brown Bears can live up to 30 years of age, but most actually die much earlier. Cubs grow quickly which helps with their survival and by six months old they can weigh up to 25kg.

Other Wildlife

While on a family wildlife holiday in Sweden to search for the Brown Bear it is also worth remembering that there is much more in the way of animal life to look out for. For example, you are more than likely to see the Red Squirrel, Elk and maybe even a Beaver or two. Birdlife is also prolific with the Black-throated Diver, Goldeneye and Wood Sandpiper among the residents here.

Marissa Ellis-Snow is a freelance nature writer. If you’re looking for a wildlife holiday, Naturetrek specialises in expert-led natural history and wildlife tours worldwide. Naturetrek brings over 25 years of experience to polar expeditions and tours to other spectacular regions on Earth.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.