Estonia’s unspoilt countryside remains an important habitat for wild animals, especially forest-dwellers.

The wild animals you are most likely to see in Estonia are deer (roe or red), which can be seen foraging in open farmland, especially in the early morning or late evening.

Estonia’s principal forest-dwelling animals – moose, bears, elk, boar, martens and lynx – are more secretive, and sightings are rare. Small numbers of bears live in the woods of Lahemaa National Park, while freshly-gnawed tree-trunks and log-built dams are evidence of an industrious local beaver population. You can learn more about the latter creatures on the Oandu Beaver Trail.

Birdwatching

The unspoilt Estonian countryside supports a year-round profusion of bird-life. Dense forests provide a habitat for woodpeckers, eagles and buzzards, while bogs and heaths offer inviting hunting grounds for sandpipers, group and cranes.