Sled Dogs, Seal Pups and the Forest Brothers Resistance Force

In this week’s edition:

Dogsledding in wild southern Estonia

Seal pups

Forest Brothers

DOGSLEDDING IN WILD SOUTHERN ESTONIA

Karulas Wolftrail Dogsledding Tours can provide a real experience of dogsledding in the beautiful, hilly, forested landscapes of southern Estonia.

They offer a variety of trips ranging from day trips through to 3 day expeditions which not only gives you the opportunity to become close with the snowy forests, marshlands and trails of this lovely part of Estonia, but it also gives you a chance to get to know the arctic sled dogs which will be excitedly pulling your sled across the snow. All trips include a thorough introduction to mushing and tricks on working well with the dogs.

Steven and Esther are your guides and hosts for each tour and always aim to provide a friendly and cosy atmosphere for you. Steven is the guide for the tours and working with dogs. He understands the dogs well and gives the dogs the best opportunity possible to live and socialise naturally while also working as a team during sled tours.

For more information about these tours, please contact Karulas Wolftrail Dogsledding Tours.

SEAL PUPS ON CAMERA

The Grey Seal Camera hosted by Looduskalender.ee recently captured some nice sound and footage of the local seal families mentioned in last weeks edition of Wild Estonia Weekly.

In this first video, we can see a mother seal and her two pups crossing the beach on their way to to the frozen waters of the Baltic Sea.

In this second video, we can see and hear a seal pup suckling from its mother.

Seal pups grow quickly and typically gain a couple of kilos in weight per day. Seal milk contains around 60% fat and is very high in protein. Their fur is fluffy and white and has a slight yellow tinge to it to for camouflage.

Pärimusmatkad Heritage Tours are currently offering trips to visit the seal colony in Vilsandi National Park. Subscribers to Wild Estonia Weekly gain a special discount on the normal trip price. For more information, please contact Pärimusmatkad Heritage Tours.

THE FOREST BROTHERS – A RESISTANCE FORCE AGAINST SOVIET OCCUPATION

This Thursday the 24th of February is a very important public holiday for Estonia as it is the celebration of it declaring independence in 1918. Estonia was an independent nation for 22 years following World War I until it became occupied by German and Soviet forces during World War II. Estonia regained its independence In 1991, following almost 50 years of Soviet occupation.

Forest Brothers Bunker, Metsavenna talu, Mõniste, Estonia

The Forest Brothers were an important part of the early resistance against this occupation in each Baltic nation. Making the most of the heavily forested landscape, they were a loose-knit group of partisans sometimes working together in small military units and sometimes surviving alone and simply using the forest to avoid being captured by Soviet forces.

Life was very difficult for them as they had to abandon their families and former lives for a life in the forest just to survive. Depending on their circumstances, some lived for many years in holes dug in the ground while others lived in relevant comfort in underground bunkers. Most partisans continued their fight from the forests of Estonia until the early 1950’s when Soviet intelligence operations in western nations and military operations in Estonia led to them eventually being captured or killed. They remain however for Estonians as a symbol of survival and the spirit of independence.