Kuusamo Large Carnivore Center reopens to visitors after resolving animal welfare issues

The Kuusamo Large Carnivore Center has attracted a significant number of visitors since opening its doors last Saturday. According to CEO Pasi Jäntti, around 100 visitors attended on the first day, with some traveling from as far away as Norway. “We’ve had happy visitors and more seem to be coming every day,” Jäntti reported.

In addition to bears, the center houses lynxes, foxes, and male wolves. The animals have also taken notice of the center’s reopening. “The lynxes have become curious and have approached visitors. The bears, on the other hand, seem used to being alone, but they are gradually becoming more visible as well,” Jäntti explained.

Jäntti mentioned that the center is also involved in various repair and construction projects in the area, with plans to expand and renovate the bear enclosure.

The center had been closed to the public during the summers of 2022 and 2023 due to multiple issues concerning animal welfare, as noted by the regional administrative authority. These concerns stemmed from reports submitted to the authority.

In May 2022, the Northern Finland regional government conducted an inspection at the center, which led to the initiation of a process to revoke its operational permit. The inspection report listed several deficiencies, including two holes in the bear enclosure, sharp spikes in the fence, tilted posts, and worn-out and rusted materials. Additionally, the upper latch of a gate to one bear’s pen was found open during the inspection, and the bears lacked enrichment items like climbing trees.

Following a ruling last autumn by the administrative court, the center’s zoo license has been reinstated. A yearly inspection took place last October, confirming that the center’s conditions were deemed operationally safe. The regional authority is set to conduct another inspection later this year.