Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Park from Greenland in the 1940s and have since extended their range to the Femunds-
marka National Park near Røros. Fewer than 100 are believed to survive in the two Nor-
wegian herds, although their numbers remain more prolific in Greenland, Canada and
Alaska; in North America, the Inuit word for the musk ox is
oomingmaq,
which means 'the
animal with skin like a beard'. Wherever it is found, the musk ox is one of the most soulful
of all Arctic and sub-Arctic species.
From the forests of the far south to southern Finnmark,
elg
(elk; moose in the USA),
Europe's largest deer species, are fairly common, although given the Norwegian fondness
for elk meat, they wisely tend to stay clear of people and roads.
Elk Safaris
Oppdal
Dombås
Rjukan
Evje
Andøya, Vesterålen
Reindeer
Wild
reinsdyr
(reindeer) exist in large herds across central Norway, usually above the
treeline and sometimes as high up as 2000m. The prime viewing areas are on the Hard-
angervidda Plateau, where you'll find Europe's largest herd (around 7000). Sightings are
also possible in most national parks of central Norway, as well as the inland areas of
Trøndelag. For a fine interpretation centre, visit the
Norwegian Wild Reindeer Centre
in
Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park.
The reindeer of Finnmark in Norway's far north are domestic and owned by the Sami,
who drive them to the coast at the start of summer, then back to the interior in winter. The
smaller
svalbardrein
(Svalbard caribou or reindeer) is native only to Svalbard.
Polar Bears
Isbjørn
(polar bears), the world's largest land carnivore, are found in Norway only in Sval-
bard, spending much of their time on pack or drift ice. Since the ban on hunting came into
force in 1973, their numbers have increased to between 3000 and 3500, although they re-
main extremely difficult to see unless you're on a cruise around Svalbard. Despite weigh-
