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Estonian nature and wildlife
Estonia is a paradise for nature lovers.
Estonia has the lowest population density in Europe (29.47 people per square km while Spain, for example, has 79.92 and Netherlands 395.11 ) and is full of open spaces. The land has not been intensively farmed and this means wild plants and insects are varied and abundant.
Estonia is mostly flat: over 60 per cent of the country is lower than 50 meters and only 10% is more than 100m above sea level. South Estonia, especially around Otepää, is the hilliest region.
Estonia has more than 1,500 islands, 1,000 lakes (5% of the Estonian territory), 7,000 rivers and streams. Bogs and wooded swamplands of various types cover over one fifth of the country.
Estonia is very rich in forests, which cover almost half of Estonia's territory. Elk, wild boar, bear and lynx are amongst Estonia's most common large mammals. About 10 per cent of Estonia is a nature reserve.
Some Estonian nature and wildlife highlights:
- Flocks of Steller´s Eider in their wintering grounds
- 8 species of Woodpeckers
- Atmospheric pine forests - habitats to Ural and Pygmy Owls
- Black Storks, Hazel Grouses, Capercaillies and Nutcrackers
- 36 species of Orchids
- Brown Bears, Wolves, Lynxes, European Beavers and Flying Squirrel
- Wonderful network of unspoilt wetland habitats
- Massive assemblies of migrating water-birds from the Arctic, including the “International Crane Assembly”
- Beautiful night skies with no light pollution make star-watching a true pleasure
