Polar Park

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Polar Park

Welcome to Polar Park – a reserve for the abundant wildlife native to the Nordic countries. For code, please ask the staff at the front desk. Since its formation in 1994, free-roaming predators, deer and Arctic fauna can be experienced in the park's large enclosures. Tellers voice, text, photos, and links are automatically activated on your phone when you enter inside the red circles on the map. Polar Park makes it possible for visitors to spot some of the animals in their natural surroundings. The park's primary mission is to ensure the animals' welfare by providing plenty of space, an almost natural habitat, veterinary supervision and trained staff. Educating visitors by providing knowledge about the large predators that are found here is seen as another important responsibility by the park operators. Visit Polar Park for a Norwegian wilderness experience set in the beautiful surroundings of Northern Norway!

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

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Points of interest

#1

Introduction

Welcome to Polar Park – a reserve for the abundant wildlife native to the Nordic countries. Since its formation in 1994, free-roaming predators, deer and Arctic fauna can be experienced in the park's large enclosures. Polar Park makes it possible for visitors to spot some of the animals in their natural surroundings. The park's primary mission is to ensure the animals' welfare by providing plenty of space, an almost natural habitat, veterinary supervision and trained staff. Educating visitors by providing knowledge about the large predators that are found here is seen as another important responsibility by the park operators. Visit Polar Park for a Norwegian wilderness experience set in the beautiful surroundings of Northern Norway!

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

#2

Visitor Center Carnivore

The Visitor Center Carnivore Bardu is a center for anyone who wants to learn more about and be inspired by predators in Norwegian nature. The center was founded in Polar Park in 2015 and is a government-authorized visitor center operated by the independent foundation “Rovdyrsenter Bardu”. We work to impart knowledge about natural and cultural values to young and old and offer visitors a comprehensive and neutral knowledge base about the “Big Four” predators: bears, wolves, lynxes and wolverines, as well as golden eagles. In the main building of the Polar Park you will find our exhibition. Here you get an exciting insight into the mysterious world of predators. The exhibition will be updated and continually renewed in the coming years.

Audio guides available in:

Deutsch , Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#3

Exhibition: Wolverine

The installation shows an adult wolverine next to a dead reindeer calf. Both animals are adapted to live in coldness and snow. Reindeer live freely in herds on the mountains and share their habitat with wolverines. Weak animals are often easy prey for predators. Do you think the animal was killed by the wolverine? Window 1: The wolverine is the largest land-living species in the weasel family, or mustelids. They give birth to the kits in underground dens. Dens are hidden in rocks and under deep snow. While the mother is out hunting, sibling play is fun. Window 2: The wolverine is a typical carnivore and hoards the food it finds. They are specialized in eating animals that are already dead. The prey is divides into smaller pieces and ensures survival thru the winter. Window 3: The background image shows footprints of a wolverine, forefoot on the right and hindfoot on the left. The main impression is made by the treads on the underside of the paw. The surrounding fur forms the outline of the paw. At the assembled wolverine paw the fur is cut off on the underside to make the treads visible. The wolverine has powerful jaws and can crush thick bones and frozen meat. The iron wires show how big the muscles are. On the top of the head and in the cheeks they are usually used to bite forcefully and hold onto the prey. Window 4: The picture in the background is the coat of arms of Bardu Municipality, the municipality you are in. The Wolverine has always been part of the nature here and stands symbolically for strength and continuity. The house resembles the first house built by the first permanent residents. In 1791, the first 20 families from Gudbrandsdalen in the south of Norway came here. Today, the Municipality has around 4,000 inhabitants.

Audio guides available in:

Deutsch , Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#4

Reindeer

There are twelve reindeer roaming freely here in the park. Sighting them is not easy but a good tip is to spot them near their (supplemental) feeding station. Female reindeer also have antlers, a unique feature among deer. Reindeer antlers can sometimes grow to such an extent that they appear disproportionate to body size. The bulls develop the largest and most flashy antlers. Both genders shed the antlers annually, with the males shedding ahead of the cows in November / December. When mating season is over, the bulls no longer need their antlers. The calf-bearing cows on the other hand, equipped with antlers, can dominate in competition for food by warding off the other non-calving animals in the herd. Female reindeer only shed their antlers after the calf is born in May / June during the following spring. The reindeer coat hairs are hollow, to insulate better. A distinctive click sound from the legs acts as a kind of alarm sound in the pack.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

#5

Moose

The three moose at Polar Park are Sivert, a male with antlers born in 2016; Silvia, a female born in 2010 and Stinec, a calf born in 2018. The moose is Norway's largest mammal and is often called "the king of the forest". Nowadays you can encounter moose all over Norway, from the south to the far north. Many bulls have round-shaped antlers which are often called shovels, while in some individuals they appear rod-shaped, like elk antlers. Elk antlers can be up to two meters wide. During the growth period, the antler is covered by a layer of skin, called antler velvet. This substance has a rich network of nerve cells and blood vessels, which provide the supply of nutrients during growth. When the antlers are grown, this outer layer dries out and the bull removes the remains by "sweeping" the antlers against shrubs and trees, causing significant damage to the forest.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

#6

Bear

You have arrived at the Polar Park bear habitat. Two female bears, Balder and Brutus, who were born in the park in 1999, live here with Truls, a large male brown bear born the year before in Vassfaret. You may see our youngest bear Maj-Britt, born in the park in 2014 together with Brutus, Balder and Truls. Visitors will find several enclosures with bears; one is home to our TV stars, Salt and Pepper. They were also born at Polar Park, in 2009, and grew up with the zookeepers. Pepper was a bear cub in the Norwegian film - Yohan - Barnevandrer. Salt is an albino brown bear very rarely seen in nature. See if you can spot all the bears! When a bear gives birth, there are usually 2 to 4 cubs in a litter, each weighing about half a kilogram. An adult male bear weighs from about 100 up to 300 kg; female bears are smaller, reaching weights between 60 and 200 kg. Bears prefer to eat meat, especially sheep, elk and reindeer calves. Protein-rich diets are crucial in spring and early summer, to build muscle mass after six months of winter hibernation. Plant diets, especially berries, are also nutritious, especially in the fall when the bears need to build up fat reserves for the winter. Enjoy the bears on your walk!

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

#7

Wolverines

You have now reached wolverine territory. Our wolverine is named Bor and comes from Kristiansand animal park where he was born in 2018. The powerful body of the wolverine resembles a small bear, measuring 70 to 85 cm with a bushy tail between 25 and 35 cm long. Males weigh about 12 to 18 kilos; females between 8 and 12 kilos. In the winter, wolverine mainly eat reindeer, either found as carrion or hunted and killed themselves. In the summer, a more varied diet is eaten, consisting of birds, small and medium-sized mammals, plants, reindeer and sheep, as well as dead animals killed by other larger predators, such as lynx, wolf or bear. There are also a few known cases where the wolverine has taken elk. The wolverine has an outstanding sense of smell and can detect a carcass from afar. It can carry whole prey or large parts of prey over a long distance. The wolverine's jaw with its special dentition and muscles give it an extremely powerful bite. This allows it to eat frozen meat and crush thick bones to make use of the marrow

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français, Italiano

#8

Lynx area 1

You are now approaching Lynx Area 1. Shimmer and Frost, both born in 2009, live here. Shimmer was born in the park and as a cub stayed with his mother Josephine in Lynx Area 2. Frost is a young male and came from Kristiansand animal park a few years ago. Gaupa is a skilled hunter, you can recognize him by the tuft of black hair on the tips of his ears. It can be difficult to see lynx in nature as they are shy and often hide. Proficient climbers, they can jump 2 to 3 meters high and 4 to 5 meters far. One of the wildcat types found in Norway's wilderness and here in the park is Eurasisk lynx. It is the largest of all the lynx species and they can weigh from 13 to 24 kg. The females are smaller than the males.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

#9

Lynx area 2

You are now approaching Lynx area 2. Josefine, a special resident, is not only the oldest lynx in the park (born in 2004) but also the only animal in Polar Park born in the wild. Josefine gave birth to both Shimmer you can see in Lynx area 1. , and Little Brown, born in 2015, who is kept in this enclosure. Lynx, the only wild cat in Norway, lives mainly in large forest areas. The densest populations are in Central and Eastern Norway. Lynx are widespread throughout much of Europe and Asia.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

#10

Deer

Polar Park is home to a herd of five deer. Oscar was born in 2007; now a stag with big antlers, he is the only, and therefore the group's alpha buck. Other herd members are Olga, Olivia and Oda, as well as a calf born in 2019. Only the male animals develop antlers which signify the individuals' social status and function as weapons during rut. Deer are widespread throughout much of Europe and North America. The Norwegian deer is one of many subspecies. Deer have well-developed eyesight, hearing and sense of smell to detect possible dangers. They are also very shy, fleeing at the slightest suspicion of danger, at speeds reaching over 60 km/h. Uphill or downhill, in dense underbrush or on open fields, deer have a unique ability to move fast.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

#11

The Musks

Introducing the Polar Park population of musks, there is Ullrik, born in 2010, a mature male; Nina-Cathrin, a female, born in 2015; Biola, born in 2017, a young male; and three new calves that have not yet been named. Musks are exciting animals that came to Norway from Greenland in 1931. There are many fun facts about these animals. They can jump at speeds up to 60 km/h and the English name for musk ox was inspired from the fact that during mating season, they smell like musk. The skull of a musk is extremely hard; it is said that when you shoot at it, the bullet bounces right back. Musk wool is considered the best wool of all. It will not shrink even when washed at high temperatures. It is also the world's most expensive wool at NOK 20,000 per kilogram. Musk are related to sheep and cattle. Musk oxen can weigh up to 400 kilos, and the musk ox cows up to 250 kilos.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

#12

Wolves

The siblings Brage, Peder, Frøya, Frigg and Marit, born in 2014, are all housed together in the wolf enclosure. These wolves are socialized - they were raised by man since they were a week old. This is the only park in Europe, where guests can experience wolves in proximity. Read more about the possibility of visiting the Polar Park wolves on our website. Stone Wolf, born in 2008, lives in the second enclosure. He is also used to man, but as he is an adult male, visitors are not allowed inside for a visit. Wolves are excellent hunters and can easily catch large animals. By hunting in pairs and packs, they take on big prey, such as moose. In Scandinavia, moose, also known as elk, make up more than 95 per cent of their diet; whether hunting as a pair or in a pack, wolves kill on average more than 100 moose per year. A wolf howl can be heard within a radius of 1 mile. Like humans, wolves are social beings. Man's relationship to wolves, formed many thousands of years ago, is the basis for another important relationship - to man's best friend, the dog! An adult female Scandinavian wolf weighs on average 35 to 40 kilos and a male about 50 kilos. The tail is relatively straight and often just hangs in a relaxed position. In winter, the color of a wolf's fur is gray or gray-brown, while in summer the gray color gets a more reddish brown tint.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, 中文, Deutsch , English (British), Français

#13

Mountain foxes

Mountain foxes in Norway have habitats in tundra areas above the tree line. The fox is active all day and usually lives with its family. The mating period is from late February to mid-April. Puppies are born in a den in the ground or in a stone watch sometime between May and June. Between 2 and 10 puppies are born at one time. On average, the litters are 5-6 puppies. Mountain foxes pray mostly on small rodents, such as mice and lemmings. They also eat birds and bird eggs, carrion, insects and berries. The peak years for the lemming population, the most important nutrition for the mountain fox, have been very rare lately. The mountain fox is well adapted to living in the Arctic environment. Compared to the red fox, the body size is smaller: it has short muzzle and legs, and short, thick ears that makes it less prone to cold and it emits less heat from the body. The mountain fox buries excess food inside its den, and also stores reserves in the form of subcutaneous fat. The fat provides insulation against the cold, and during periods of scarce food access, the mountain fox saves energy and survives well even when cold. The mountain fox is available in two color variants, white and blue. The white fox is solid white in winter, while the summer coat is greyish brown. The blue fox’s color is from dark brown to light blue-gray in winter and the summer coat is chocolate brown.

Audio guides available in:

中文, Norsk bokmål, English (British)

Polar Park

Points of interest