Swedish Big 5: the Bear.

The Brown Bear is an undisputed symbol of the wild and maybe the most magical of Sweden's Big Five predators. It is a mysterious and elusive animal. In effect, notwithstanding the large bear population, few people could tell they have seen one in the wild during their whole life! 

To debunk a myth and remove any doubt about that, in Sweden there are NO polar bears! If you want to see them, the nearest place to go is Spitsbergen (Norway), almost 1000 miles north from Stockholm. 

The bears inhabiting the mountains and forests of Sweden are all Brown Bears (Ursus arctos). 

The Scandinavian Brown Bear Research Project in 2004 estimated a swedish bear population in a number between 1635 and 2840 individuals, with an annual increase of 4.7%. 

They are widely distributed in the northern part of the country, especially in the West side. 

As Brown Bears are omnivorous, they eat a wide range of foods, including berries, ants, roots but also bees, voles and even larger animals such as mooses. 

During the autumn, they fatten up in preparation for hibernation, which usually takes place in a disused anthill or a spot at the foot of a large fir tree. 

Mothers give birth to the cubs during the winter in the dens and when they are 6 months old, they're ready to leave their mothers and start a new life on their own. 

In the past, bear hunting was common, but today the Brown Bear is a protected species. 

In Sweden there is the opportunity to take part in beautiful Brown Bear watching, organized by Wild Sweden. Here is the link of their website, so you can take a look! http://www.wildsweden.com/short-tours/brown-bear-watching-from-hide/