Utter
CategoriesPredators, OUR ANIMALS by

Otter

Otter

(Lutra lutra) The otter has declined catastrophically in our country since the 1950s when it was common throughout the country. Today, the otter still exists widely in northern Sweden, as well as in small scattered groups in southern Sweden. The male and female may be together in early spring, otherwise they live alone. The cubs are usually born in May in our country. They weigh about 130 g at birth and are blind for the first two weeks. They are usually 2 in number and nurse for 2 months but stay with the mother for a whole year.

Belongs to: Order Carnivora (carnivores/predators)
Family: Weasels (Mustelidae)
Weight: 8 - 12 kg (male), 6 - 8 kg (female).
Lifespan: 18 - 20 years
Mating season: There are probably two mating seasons - in March-April and also possibly during the summer.
Gestation period: 60 - 63 days. Possibly also delayed fetal development.
Offspring: There are usually 2 kits but can vary between 1 - 5, and they become sexually mature at 2 - 3 years of age.
Utter
Kronhjort
CategoriesUngulates, OUR ANIMALS by

Red Deer

Red Deer

(Cervus elaphus) The red deer has been present in Sweden since the Ice Age. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it was close to extinction in our country. Today, the population is slowly increasing. They mainly live in Skåne. Otherwise, the red deer can be found in southern and central Sweden and occasionally even in the coastal areas of northern Sweden. The adult deer has antlers that normally have three forward-facing points. The top points form a "crown", which has given the red deer its name.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Deer family (Cervidae)
Weight: About 250 kg (male), about 120 kg (female).
Lifespan: 30 years
Mating season: September - October
Gestation period: Approximately 235 days
Calves: They are born in May-June, usually only 1 calf but in rare cases 2 calves.
Kronhjort
Myskoxe
CategoriesUngulates, OUR ANIMALS by

Musk Ox

Musk Ox

(Ovibos moschatus) The musk ox is the last of the great prehistoric animals. They lived alongside mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses during the last ice age - even in our country. The mammoths and rhinoceroses have been extinct for a long time, but the musk oxen continue to survive in the harsh and cold tundra areas. The musk oxen died out in Scandinavia 3000 years ago. In the summer of 1971, a handful of musk oxen migrated to Härjedalen from Norway. By the mid-1980s, the number of animals was about 34. The musk oxen's only natural enemy is the wolf. The adult musk oxen form a tight ring (with their horns outward) around the calves as a defense against wolf attacks. The wolves have a very difficult time getting past the "living wall" and taking the calves.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Hollow-horned animals (Bovidae)
Weight: Between 225-400 kg. Bulls are significantly heavier than cows.
Lifespan: Around 20 years.
Mating season: July - August
Gestation period: 7 - 9 months
Calves: They are born in April-June the year after mating.
Myskoxe