I don’t know about you, but for me a wildlife encounter is always a special thing. I’ve actually become a bit obsessed with spotting moose since I moved to Norway (there you go… in case you ever wondered about this blog’s silly name). Luckily wildlife is quite plentiful in Østfold – here is a list of the most interesting, and the most common, species you can find here. Keep your eyes peeled!
- Moose: Common in the whole county, mainly in forested areas. One might cross your path on a quiet country road in Indre Østfold, or you might even spot one feeding on crops in summer. In the autumn you are more likely to see a moose eating rotting apples in a garden. They sometimes get drunk on the fermented apples and can then behave unpredictably – if that’s the case it’s best to keep your distances.
- Red and roe deer: Common throughout the county. Like moose, they are often seen feeding in fields in summer, usually in the late afternoon.
- Red fox: There are some beautiful specimens around, but they’re not that easily spotted.
- Badger: Common in the whole county, sadly all too often seen dead by the roadside – they seem to get run over more often than any other species.
- Wild boar: These are increasingly common in Aremark, near the Swedish border, where they have been observed in growing numbers in recent years.
- Wolf: Present in Halden and occasionally bordering localities. You are more likely to see wolf droppings or tracks in the snow than the animal itself though – except for the occasional male stray wolf, they live deep in the wilderness.
- Lynx: Present in Indre Østfold, although not that easily spotted.
- Seals: A few on offshore islands in the Oslo fjord.
- Sea birds: Eiders, shags, cormorants, wild swans and mallards are all common sea birds along the Østfold coast.
- Forest birds include wood pigeons, owls, eagles (in Indre Østfold), black grouses and capercaillies (Indre Østfold, Aremark and Halden localities).