This is a list of the fauna of Finland. Finland borders Sweden to the west, Russia to the east, and Norway to the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland, allowing an ecological mix. Finland contains many species of mammals, birds, and fish, but only a few reptiles and amphibians. This article discusses all the vertebrate animals which can be found on Finland itself, not the oceans.
Mammals
There are over 90 species of mammals found in Finland and the surrounding oceans. Some were introduced from other countries in Europe, as well as other continents, such as Asia and North America. Rodents and shrews are most common in Finland.
Rodents
There are close to 30 species of rodents living throughout Finland. These include the widespread Muridae, such as the house mouse, brown rat and wood mouse which live throughout Europe, and the Norway lemming, which only lives in Scandinavia. Some were introduced there, and they include the muskrat and nutria among others.
House mouse, Mus musculus (common) Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus (common) Black rat, Rattus rattus (uncommon) Striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius (common) Yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis (common) Harvest mouse, Micromys minutus (common) Common vole, Microtus arvalis (common) Field vole, Microtus agrestis (common) Tundra vole, Microtus oeconomus (common) Southern vole, Microtus rossiaemeridionalis (common) Water vole, Arvicola terrestris (common) Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus (common) Grey red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rufocanus (common) Northern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rutilus (common) Norway lemming, Lemmus lemmus (common) Wood lemming, Myopus schisticolor (uncommon) Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus (common/introduced from North America) Northern birch mouse, Sicista betulina (common) Garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus (rare) Red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris (common) Siberian flying squirrel, Pteromys volans (rare) European beaver, Castor fiber (rare, though increasing) North American beaver, Castor canadensis (much more common than the European beaver/introduced from North America) Nutria, Myocastor coypus (rare/introduced from South America)
Lagomorphs
There are 3 species of rabbits and hares found in Finland. The common rabbit spread there from central Europe. It is now found in practically all of Europe. The other two species are hares.
European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (common/spread from central Europe) Brown hare, Lepus europaeus (common) Mountain hare, Lepus timidus (common)
Insectivores
There are 10 species of insectivore living in Finland. Eight of the ten are shrews, from the common shrew to the Eurasian water shrew. Shrews are very common in the forests of Finland. A species of mole and one of hedgehog are the remaining insectivores.
Common shrew, Sorex araneus (common) Eurasian least shrew, Sorex minutissimus (common) Eurasian pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus (common) Taiga shrew, Sorex isodon (common) Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens (common) Eurasian water shrew, Neomys fodiens (common) Western European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus (common) European mole, Talpa europaea (common)
Bats
About 13 kinds of bat live in Finland.
Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula (common) Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentonii (common) Pond bat, Myotis dasycneme (scarce) Whiskered bat, Myotis mystacinus (localised) Brandt's bat, Myotis brandtii (common) Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri (common) Northern bat, Eptesicus nilssoni (common) Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus (common) Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus (common) Parti-colored bat, Vespertilio murinus (scarce)
Carnivores
Around 15 species of carnivore are found in Finland. Many of the larger carnivores were or are still in danger of dying out.
Least weasel, Mustela nivalis (common) Ermine, Mustela erminea (common) European polecat, Mustela putorius (common) European mink, Mustela lutreola (very rare) Pine marten, Martes martes (common) European otter, Lutra lutra (uncommon) Eurasian badger, Meles meles (common) Wolverine, Gulo gulo (rare) Red fox, Vulpes vulpes (common) Arctic fox, Alopex lagopus (uncommon) Raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides (common/introduced from Asia) Gray wolf, Canis lupus (rare) Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx (rare) Brown bear, Ursus arctos (uncommon)