Animal news from Ranua in April/May

27.5.2025 – Source: Ranua Wildlife Park

Summer is just around the corner! The birds that spent the winter indoors are now back outside, and all our animals are once again on view, each at their own pace and as they choose.

💚 The first wild forest reindeer calves have been born! 💚

Take a moment to pause and be mesmerized as the little ones take their wobbly first steps beside their mothers. Perhaps an owl calls in the background, songbirds search for nesting spots, and the damp ground smells of spring. What stays with you is peace – and the wonder of new life.

Mouth open, tongue out… so glamorous. 😅 But of course, perfect material for social media!!

A reindeer doesn’t have any upper front teeth, but with its lower teeth and handy tongue, it guides leaves into its mouth and rips them off branches. At the back, it has molars suited for grinding.

Welcome Henrik 💙

The 13-year-old musk ox bull Henrik has moved from the Tallinn Zoo to Ranua to spend his retirement years — but an important task still lies ahead. The species Ex situ conservation program hopes for Henrik’s genes to continue on with the young females living at Ranua, and that’s why he has joined our musk ox herd.

Henrik’s journey has also brought back memories: the same trusted driver who once took the young bull at the beginning of his life from Germany to Tallinn, now brought it to his new home in Ranua, radiating the noble presence of a life well-lived.

Upon arrival, Henrik has proven to be just as calm and dignified as one would expect from a bull seasoned with age and wisdom. The musk oxen have greeted each other quietly, sniffing each other, but while eating, the females respectfully give space to their elder, just as is fitting in the herd hierarchy.

Arctic fox vocalizations are being studied at the University of Oulu – and in this video, you can once again hear what the fox’s “mating song” sounds like! 🎶

Researchers are currently investigating how these sounds are structured and what kinds of variations occur in their duration and frequency. The recordings, including the song heard in this video, have now been sent for analysis. Using signal processing and machine learning methods, the study aims to uncover new insights into arctic fox behavior and the “language” they use to communicate.

We’re excited to find out what these sounds will reveal!

Nothing beats napping side by side 💕

🌱🪹
The raven skillfully builds its nest from twigs. Year after year, it uses a well-proven nesting site on a cliff ledge or in the fork of a tree.

🐾🐾 Peekaboo!

Like many feline species, Maia enjoys hiding places – spots where it can stay out of sight while keeping a close eye on the surroundings. The Amur leopard cat is most active during twilight hours.

Happy Spring/Summer greetings from Ranua!