Hiidenportti National Park is a national park

National park

A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...

 in Sotkamo

Sotkamo

Sotkamo is a municipality of Finland, located in the Kainuu region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .Vuokatti, west of Sotkamo, is a popular skiing resort...

 in the Kainuu

Kainuu

Kainuu is a region of Finland. It borders the regions of Northern Ostrobothnia, North Karelia and Northern Savonia. In the east it also borders Russia. Kainuu is known in the ancient Norse sagas as Kvenland....

 region of Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

. Hiidenportti National Park was established in 1982 to preserve the region's wilderness. A mosaic mix of mires and dry forests is typical landscape in this national park. The park covers 45 square kilometres (17 sq mi).

Two thirds of the area is coniferous forest. The near-natural state forests are 100–150 years old on average. The last loggings were made in the beginning of the 20th century.

The most well-known attraction of the park is the Hiidenportti (literally "Hiisi

Hiisi

Hiisis are a kind of tutelary spirits in mythologies of the Baltic Sea area, especially in Finland. In Christian tradition, they are most often considered to be malicious or at least very horrifying...

´s gate") gulley with vertical cliffs.

Fauna

The area is calm enough for big carnivores. Regular dwellers include brown bear

Brown Bear

The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...

, wolverine

Wolverine

The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...

 and lynx

Lynx

A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...

. The Gray Wolf

Gray Wolf

The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...

 is an occasional visitor. The American Beaver

American Beaver

The North American Beaver is the only species of beaver in the Americas, native to North America and introduced to South America. In the United States and Canada, where no other species of beaver occurs, it is usually simply referred to as "beaver"...

 lives in the Porttijoki river and its traces can be seen along the river. In the bird fauna northern species are common, such as the Brambling

Brambling

The Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.- Etymology :The common English name is probably derived from the German "brâma", meaning bramble or a thorny bush. It has also been called the Cock o' the North and the Mountain Finch.- Description...

 and the Rustic Bunting

Rustic Bunting

The Rustic Bunting, Emberiza rustica, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae....

; also the Siberian Jay

Siberian Jay

The Siberian Jay Perisoreus infaustus, is a jay found in north Eurasia. The species has a wide range and a large global population . It is one of three members of the genus Perisoreus, the others being the Sichuan Jay, P...

 can be seen in the area. The Capercaillie

Capercaillie

The Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....

 and Hazel Grouse

Hazel Grouse

The Hazel Grouse or Hazel Hen is one of the smaller members of the grouse family of birds. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia and central and eastern Europe in dense, damp, mixed coniferous woodland, preferably with some spruce.The nest is on the ground, and 3–6 eggs is...

 are the most abundant fowl

Fowl

Fowl is a word for birds in general but usually refers to birds belonging to one of two biological orders, namely the gamefowl or landfowl and the waterfowl...

s. Rare species include Bean Goose

Bean Goose

The Bean Goose is a medium to large goose breeding in northern Europe and Asia. It was split into two species by the American Ornithologists' Union in 2007, however it is still regarded as a single species by the British Ornithologists' Union – see below...

, Common Crane

Common Crane

The Common Crane , also known as the Eurasian Crane, is a bird of the family Gruidae, the cranes.It is a large, stately bird and a medium-sized crane at 100–130 cm long, with a 180–240 cm wingspan and a weight of 4.5–6 kg...

, Osprey

Osprey

The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...

, Black-throated Diver

Black-throated Diver

The Black-throated Loon is a migratory aquatic bird found in the northern hemisphere. The species is known as an Arctic Loon in North America and the Black-throated Diver in Eurasia, its current name is a compromise proposed by the International Ornithological Committee.-Taxonomy:The...

, Great Grey Owl

Great Grey Owl

The Great Grey Owl or Lapland Owl is a very large owl, distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. In some areas it is also called the Great Gray Ghost, Phantom of the north, Cinereous Owl, Spectral Owl, Lapland Owl, Spruce Owl, Bearded Owl and Sooty Owl.-Description:Adults have a big, rounded...

, and Red-flanked Bluetail

Red-flanked Bluetail

The Red-flanked Bluetail , also known as the Orange-flanked Bush-robin, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...

. The Great Grey Owl is also pictured in the park's emblem.

In a basic research conducted in 1992, a total of 164 big and 186 small butterfly species were identified. Among others, Catocala adultera

Catocala adultera

Catocala adultera is a moth in the family Noctuidae. Its wingspan is ....

, the Emperor Moth

Emperor Moth

The Small Emperor Moth is a moth of the family Saturniidae. It is sometimes placed in the genus Saturnia. It occurs throughout the Palearctic region and is the only member of its family to be found in the British Isles....

, and the endangered Xestia sincera

Xestia sincera

Xestia sincera is a moth in the family Noctuidae. Its wingspan is ....

were seen.

External links

• Outdoors.fi – Hiidenportti National Park