Animals in Sweden
Moose
Alces alces
Sweden has no national animal set by law, but the moose is the one most closely tied to the country and is often called the king of the forest. Several hundred thousand moose live in Sweden in summer, and the yellow road signs warning of them are a famous sight.
View details→Wildlife in Sweden
Sweden is the fifth largest country in Europe, about 450,000 square kilometers, but it has only about 10.6 million people, most of them in the south around Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. Forest covers around two thirds of the land, and the north is one of the emptiest places on the continent. From south to north you pass beech woods and farmland in Skåne, a long Baltic coast with thousands of islands, lake country in the middle, endless pine and spruce forest and finally the bare mountains and tundra of Lapland, where Kebnekaise rises to just over 2,000 meters. Summers are short and bright, with the midnight sun above the Arctic Circle, while winters are long, dark and snowy in the north.
Forestry, farming and the herding traditions of the Sámi people have shaped the land, and the right of public access lets anyone walk, camp and pick berries almost anywhere in the countryside. In 1909 Sweden became the first country in Europe to create national parks, starting with Abisko and Sarek. The Laponian Area in the mountains joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1996 and the High Coast in 2000, and wolves, which almost vanished from Sweden in the 1960s, have returned after strict protection.
Visitors come for moose safaris in the forests, canoe trips on lakes, the northern lights in Abisko and Kiruna, and boat trips through the Stockholm archipelago. The wildlife follows these contrasts: big predators and huge numbers of deer in the forests, arctic animals and birds of prey in the mountains, seals along the coasts and cranes and swans on the lakes and wetlands.
Most Dangerous Animals in Sweden
Wildlife in Sweden poses little real danger, and the biggest risk is on the road. Moose and deer cause thousands of traffic accidents every year, and a collision with a moose can be deadly, so slow down where signs warn of animals, especially at dawn and dusk in autumn. Brown bears are found in the forests of central and northern Sweden, and attacks are rare; most happen when hunters with dogs surprise a bear near its den. Talk or make noise on forest trails and back away calmly if you see one. Wolves and lynx avoid people, and the conflict is with sheep, Sámi herds and hunting dogs rather than hikers. A female moose with a calf in spring can charge if you come too close, so give her plenty of room. Wild boar are common in the south and can be aggressive when protecting young. The country's only venomous snake bites only when stepped on, and bites are rarely serious. Ticks are the most common health risk in the south and along the coast, and mosquitoes swarm in the north in summer.
Top 10 Animals in Sweden
Sweden's best known animals are easiest to find in a few well known places. Moose live in forests across almost the whole country and are easiest to see at dawn and dusk at the edges of fields and clear cuts, with guided moose safaris common in Värmland and Dalarna. Brown bears live mainly in the forests of central and northern Sweden, and guided hides in Hälsingland, Dalarna and Jämtland offer the best chance to watch them from spring to early autumn. Gray wolves live mostly in Värmland, Dalarna and other parts of central Sweden; they are shy, but evening howling trips are popular. The Eurasian lynx is found across most of the country and is very hard to see. Wolverines and arctic foxes live in the northern mountains, and the arctic fox is easiest to spot around Helagsfjället in summer. Red deer roam the farmland and woods of the south, especially in Skåne. Hedgehogs wander through gardens in the south. European adders bask on sunny rocks and paths, even on the islands of the archipelago. White tailed eagles nest along the Baltic coast and the big lakes, and are easiest to see in winter at feeding sites on the coast.
Badger
Meles meles
The European badger, called grävling in Swedish, is common in southern and central Sweden in mixed woodland and farmland and becomes sparser toward the north. Swedish winters are long and cold, and badgers spend several months mostly underground, living off fat built up in autumn, before coming out fully in spring. In the warmer months they feed on earthworms, insects, berries and small animals. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
Sweden's brown bears live in the forests of the center and north. The population grew from near extinction to about 3,300 in 2008 and was estimated at about 2,450 in 2023. In 2024 the country licensed the hunt of 486 bears, about a fifth of the total, a decision criticized by scientists. Bears here feed on ants, berries and moose calves. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Hare
Lepus europaeus
The European hare was brought to Sweden by people in the nineteenth century and now lives in the south and center, mainly on farmland and in open countryside near towns. It is larger than the native hares that turn white in winter and has pushed them out of some farmland areas, and the two species sometimes interbreed. Numbers have dropped in recent decades with changes in farming. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Hedgehog
Erinaceus europaeus
The European hedgehog lives across southern and central Sweden, roughly up to Dalarna, with local populations farther north along the coast. Mixed forests, farmland and suburban gardens give it shelter and food, and it hibernates from about October to April. Sweden is one of the countries where numbers have dropped sharply in recent decades, because of intensive farming, road deaths and the loss of rough habitat near towns. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
Wolves went extinct in Sweden during the 1960s but naturally recolonized from Finland and Russia in the 1980s. The Swedish population is now concentrated in the forests of central Sweden and is managed together with Norway's as one Scandinavian population. The population remains relatively small and faces genetic concerns due to isolation. Wolves are legally protected in Sweden, and the government manages pack numbers within a set population target. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Pine Marten
Martes martes
The pine marten is Sweden's only marten. It lives across most of the country, from the forests of Skåne to the edge of the mountains in the north, and it is closely tied to older forest with fallen timber and hollow trees. It hunts voles, squirrels and birds, eats berries and often rests under the snow in winter. It is a game species in Sweden, with a winter hunting season. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Eurasian Lynx
Lynx lynx
Sweden has one of the largest Eurasian lynx populations in Europe, with around 1,300 animals spread across the forests of the north and center and increasingly in the south. Roe deer are its main prey in the south, while in the north it hunts many reindeer, which causes conflict with Sami herders. Sweden manages the species with regional goals and licensed hunting, and pays compensation for reindeer losses. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Red Deer
Cervus elaphus
Red deer in Sweden live mainly in the south, where Skåne holds the country's original native population, which survived when the species had nearly vanished elsewhere. Since then, released herds and natural spread have carried red deer further north and west, and numbers have grown steadily over recent decades. They share the forests with roe deer and moose, and stags roar loudly during the autumn rut in September and October. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
The red fox lives throughout Sweden, from the farmland of Skåne to the mountains of Lapland, where it competes with the endangered arctic fox. From the mid 1970s an outbreak of sarcoptic mange killed most Swedish foxes, and scientists saw numbers of hares, grouse and roe deer fawns rise until the fox recovered in the 1990s, a famous example of a predator's role. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Red Squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris
Sweden is one of the strongholds of the red squirrel in Europe. The species is common throughout the country's vast conifer and mixed forests, from the southern beech woodlands to the boreal spruce and pine forests of the north. It is a familiar sight at forest edges and in parks. Populations are stable and the species faces no significant threats in Sweden. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Roe Deer
Capreolus capreolus
The roe deer is one of Sweden's most common large wild mammals, present across most of the country except the far north. It thrives in the varied landscape of southern and central Sweden, where forest meets farmland and meadow. Populations grew strongly through the twentieth century. Roe deer are heavily hunted each year, yet numbers remain stable. They are most active at dawn and dusk, feeding on a wide range of plants. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
Wild boars disappeared from Sweden centuries ago but came back from farm escapes in the 1970s and 1980s, and the IUCN now counts them as reintroduced. They have spread across the south and center of the country, helped by mild winters and plenty of farm food. Rising numbers have brought more crop damage and road collisions, and hunting is the main tool to manage them. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
Sweden has the largest wolverine population in Scandinavia, an estimated 675 to 730 animals in the winter of 2024 and 2025. Most live in the northern mountains along the border with Norway, and some have settled in the forests further east. Wolverines prey on reindeer, so the state pays Sami herding communities for each wolverine litter born in their lands instead of for each lost animal. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Arctic Fox
Vulpes lagopus
In Sweden, the arctic fox lives on the treeless fells of the mountains, from Helags in Jämtland to Vindelfjällen and Lapland. Hunted almost to extinction for its fur a century ago, it is protected and helped with feeding stations and red fox culling. Sweden has the largest share of Scandinavia's population, with 56 of the 97 litters counted in 2025. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Moose
Alces alces
Sweden has one of the world's most studied and managed moose populations, and the moose is called the king of the forest. Around 300,000 live in the country in winter, and hunters take tens of thousands each autumn. Moose shape the boreal forests by browsing heavily on young Scots pine and birch, which has led to years of research on balancing forestry and wildlife. Moose safaris and moose parks draw many visitors. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Musk Ox
Ovibos moschatus
Sweden's wild musk oxen arrived on their own: in 1971 five animals from the introduced Norwegian herd at Dovrefjell wandered across the border into Härjedalen. The herd grew at first but has been shrinking since the late 1980s, and a 2024 survey counted only about eight animals. There is still hope, since calves have been born there in recent years. It is one of the smallest wild musk ox populations in the world. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Mountain Hare
Lepus timidus
In Sweden the mountain hare lives throughout the country, from southern forests to the fells of Lapland, and is a common game animal. In the south it faces the brown hare, which has been spreading north for decades, competes for food and sometimes interbreeds with it. Some southern mountain hares now turn only partly white, and lynx, red foxes and golden eagles are among their main predators. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Eurasian Otter
Lutra lutra
In Sweden the otter collapsed by the 1980s, poisoned by PCBs and mercury in fish and found only in scattered areas. Since chemical bans and protection, it has recovered and now lives across most of the country, from the coast of the Baltic to the lakes and rivers of the north. Traffic is the leading cause of death. Otters share Swedish waters with white tailed eagles, moose and Eurasian lynx. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
European Adder
Vipera berus
The European adder, called huggorm, is Sweden's only venomous snake and is found from the far south to beyond the Arctic Circle, one of the northernmost snakes on Earth. In northern Sweden it may hibernate for eight to nine months a year. About 1,300 people are bitten each year in Sweden, around 12 percent need hospital care, and deaths are very rare. It is protected by law. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Eagle Owl
Bubo bubo
In Sweden, the eagle owl inhabits boreal forests, rocky coastlines, and the forested highlands of the interior. Once pushed to the edge of extinction by hunting and persecution, the species has made a strong recovery following legal protection in the twentieth century. Today it is heard more often than seen, its deep hooting call carrying through the dark Scandinavian nights. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The barn owl reaches the northern fringe of its European range in southern Sweden, where it is considered rare and vulnerable. It is found mainly in Skåne and the surrounding agricultural plains of the far south, where milder winters and open farmland provide the conditions it needs to survive. Populations are small and susceptible to cold winters, which can cause significant mortality. Conservation programs including nest box installation and monitoring are in place to support the breeding population, which is one of the northernmost in Europe.
White tailed Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla
Sweden has one of the great conservation success stories for this species. In the 1970s DDT and mercury had left only a few pairs breeding successfully, but bans on these chemicals, protection and winter feeding helped the population grow to several hundred pairs. Eagles now nest along the Baltic coast, around inland lakes and in Lapland, and Sweden's work became a model for eagle recovery across Europe. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Crane
Grus grus
Sweden is one of the most important breeding countries for the common crane in Europe, with tens of thousands of pairs nesting in bogs and forest wetlands across the country, and numbers have grown strongly in recent decades. Each spring, in late March and April, up to 30,000 cranes stop at Lake Hornborga in the west to feed and dance, a famous event known as the crane dance that draws crowds of visitors. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Puffin
Fratercula arctica
The Atlantic puffin visits Sweden outside the breeding season. Birds from the Norwegian colonies winter at sea in the Skagerrak and Kattegat, off the west coast of Sweden, and they are sometimes seen from the coast of Bohuslän and Halland during autumn and winter storms. Puffins do not breed in Sweden, and they return to their colonies further north and west in spring. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Stork
Ciconia ciconia
The white stork is a rare but celebrated visitor to Sweden, where small numbers breed mainly in Scania, the southernmost province. Rewilding efforts and wetland restoration have helped bring the species back after it vanished from the country in the mid twentieth century. Standing nearly a meter tall, it feeds on frogs, insects, and small mammals in open farmland and meadows. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
The white wagtail is one of Sweden's most familiar summer birds, breeding across the whole country from Skåne to the mountains of Lapland. It arrives in April, often while snow still lies in the fields, and nests in woodpiles, barns, boathouses and stone walls, usually close to water and people. In late summer it gathers in flocks before leaving in September for the Mediterranean and West Africa. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
In Sweden, the peregrine falcon breeds on rocky cliffs along the coast and in forested inland areas. Its population collapsed in the mid twentieth century due to the pesticide DDT and hunting pressure. Thanks to strong legal protection and dedicated recovery programs, numbers have rebounded impressively. Today Sweden holds a healthy breeding population, and the species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
The mute swan is widespread across southern and central Sweden, nesting on lakes, coastal bays, and slow rivers. The Swedish population grew considerably during the twentieth century following legal protection of the species. Lake Vänern and the southern coastline are particularly important areas. In winter, large flocks gather in sheltered Baltic inlets where open water remains available. Sweden holds one of the more robust national populations in northern Europe. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Sweden has a healthy golden eagle population of several hundred pairs, mostly in the northern forests and mountains of Lapland, with some pairs in the south and on the Baltic islands. The birds nest in tall pines and on rocky outcrops and hunt grouse, hares and reindeer calves. Decades of protection and winter feeding have helped them recover. Pairs keep the same territory for years and often have several nests. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus
In Sweden the gyrfalcon breeds in small numbers in the mountains of Lapland and Jämtland, a few dozen pairs that nest on cliffs and hunt ptarmigan. The species is listed as endangered in the national red list, and researchers link recent declines to cold, wet springs that ruin breeding at exposed nest ledges, an effect of climate change. Known territories are closely monitored. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Eurasian Magpie
Pica pica
The Eurasian magpie is widespread across southern and central Sweden, where it inhabits farmland, parks, and the edges of towns and villages. It becomes progressively less common further north, rarely venturing into the boreal forests of the far north. In Swedish cities like Gothenburg and Malmö it is a daily sight. It is an intelligent, adaptable bird that eats a wide range of food and stores surplus items for leaner times. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
In Sweden the snowy owl is one of the rarest breeding birds. It nests only on the open mountain tundra of Lapland, in the far north, and only in years when lemmings are extremely abundant, which may be many years apart. In other years it is absent or seen only as a scattered visitor in the mountains. Breeding sites are kept secret, and the owls share the high fells with arctic foxes and wolverines. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Sweden has harbor seals on the west coast, in the Kattegat and Skagerrak, where they rest on skerries around places like the Koster islands. It also has the only harbor seals of the Baltic proper, in Kalmarsund, an isolated group that arrived some 8,000 years ago. Hunting and pollution left fewer than 200 of them in the 1970s, and they have slowly grown back to about 2,400 in 2023. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Frequently Asked Questions
What animals live in Sweden?
Sweden is home to moose, brown bears, gray wolves, Eurasian lynx, wolverines, arctic foxes, red deer, roe deer, wild boar and a small number of musk oxen in the mountains of Härjedalen. Its birds include white tailed eagles, golden eagles, gyrfalcons, eagle owls, cranes and puffins, and harbor seals live along the coasts.
Are there bears in Sweden?
Yes. Sweden has around 2,500 brown bears, living mostly in the forests of central and northern Sweden, from Dalarna and Gävleborg up to Norrbotten. They avoid people, and attacks are rare. Guided bear watching hides are the safest way to see one.
Are there wolves in Sweden?
Yes. Wolves almost disappeared from Sweden in the 1960s but returned after strict protection, and there were roughly 375 in 2024. Most live in the forests of central Sweden, especially Värmland and Dalarna, and their numbers are managed with limited licensed hunting.
Where can you see moose in Sweden?
Moose live in forests across almost all of Sweden. The best chance is at dawn or dusk at the edges of fields and clear cuts, and guided moose safaris run in Värmland, Dalarna and other forest regions. Moose parks also let visitors see them up close.
What is the national animal of Sweden?
Sweden has no national animal set by law, but the moose is the one most closely linked to the country and is often called the king of the forest. The blackbird became the national bird after a public vote in 2015.
Researched and written by Juan Pablo. Sources: IUCN Red List, scientific literature and regional field guides. Last updated: .