Sweden

Situated on the Scandinavian peninsula, Sweden is mountainous, dominated by lakes and forests. Its habitats include mountain wastelands, montane forests, tundra, taiga, beech forests, rivers, lakes, swamps, brackish and maritime coasts and cultivated areas. Sweden is home to an estimated 50 000 species of animals and plants in terrestrial habitats, representing 32% of all species in Europe. These comprise 73 mammal species, around 240 breeding bird species and a further 60 non-breeding species that are rarely or annually seen, 6 reptile species, 12 amphibian species, 56 freshwater fish species, around 2,000 vascular plant species, nearly 1,000 bryophyte species and more than 2,000 lichen species. Mammals found in Sweden include the European Hedgehog, the European Mole, six species of shrew and eighteen species of bat. In addition, the Mountain Hare, the Eurasian Beaver, the Red Squirrel and around fourteen smaller rodent species are also found in the country. Ungulates include Wild Boar, Red Deer, Roe Deer and Moose, as well as semi-domesticated Caribou. The country's land predators include the Brown Bear, Eurasian Wolf and Red Fox. Arctic Foxes live in the mountains, as well as Eurasian Lynx, European Badger, Eurasian Otter, Least Weasel, European Polecat and European Pine Marten. In the north you can also find wolverines. In Sweden, 535 bird species have been recorded, but of these, less than half breed regularly. Many of them are migratory birds, moving between breeding sites in the Arctic and wintering grounds in Europe and Africa.