Wild animals

Small animals and birds can be put in the mixed waste container or buried in the ground. If you find a dead animal in a forest, you can leave it there. The animal’s body will decompose. Always wear protective gloves when touching dead animals, as they may have infectious diseases. You can use a shovel or other tools to move the dead animal. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

The landowner is responsible for dead game animals, such as deer and elk. If you find a dead game animal on city-owned land, you can inform us through the Espoo feedback service. Click on ‘Parks, nature and environment’ and select ‘Environmental health services’ as your subject. If you find a dead animal on private land, inform the landowner. The local game management association is responsible for game animals that die as a result of a road accident: Espoo-Kauniainen riistanhoitoyhdistys(external link, opens in a new window).

If there are many dead animals (e.g. a mass bird death), inform the city veterinarians of the situation. You should also inform the city veterinarians if you find even one dead predatory bird, such as an eagle, hawk or owl.

If you want, you can also report dead wild animals to the Finnish Food Authority and send them for examination in line with the instructions of the Finnish Food Authority(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish).

We all have an obligation to help an injured animal. Injured small animals can be taken to the Wildlife Hospital at the Korkeasaari Zoo. Contact the Wildlife Hospital if you are unsure whether the animal needs treatment. Always wear protective gloves when touching wild animals, as they may have infectious diseases. Wash your hands carefully afterwards. If it seems that there is no hope of recovery, the animal must be put down quickly and painlessly under the Animal Welfare Act (693/2023, section 7).

The local game management association is responsible for putting down injured game animals. If you find an injured game animal, call the emergency number 112 and follow the instructions given. The police will ask the local game management association to put down the injured animal.

The landowner’s permission is always needed to feed deer. Feeding deer in urban areas is not recommended as they may cause hazardous situations and road accidents in densely built-up areas. The feeding site may also attract pests, such as rats.

Feeding birds in winter helps many species wintering in Finland survive the cold season. BirdLife Finland provides useful instructions on winter feeding of birds: Lintujen talviruokinta(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish).

On city-owned land, bird feeding is permitted in wooded areas where it does not disturb or pose a risk to people moving about in the area. The city may prohibit bird feeding in specific locations if necessary. Feeding birds in your own yard or your housing company’s yard is not prohibited. However, housing companies may choose to prohibit bird feeding on their property.

In urban areas, bird feeding should be small-scale and limited to the winter season. Use suitable bird feeders and keep the feeding area clean. Do not scatter food on the ground, as it may attract rats. The feeding site must be cleaned up in the spring when feeding ends. Place the bird feeder as far from buildings as possible. This will prevent damage to the building from droppings and reduce the risk of birds flying into windows.

If you notice that bird feeding on city-owned land is causing harm or attracting rats, please report the issue using the City of Espoo’s feedback service(external link, opens in a new window). Click on ‘Parks, nature and environment’ and select ‘Environmental protection and conservation’ as your subject. In some cases, the city may prohibit feeding on the site and/or remove the bird feeders.

We do not recommend feeding ducks or other water birds with bread or pastries. White bread is high in calories but low in nutrients. A diet high in carbohydrates can affect young water birds’ ability to fly, which can be fatal in the wild. Feeding adult water birds is not as risky, as their wings are fully developed and they are able to fly. Whole grains or peas are healthier alternatives to bread. Feeding also tends to attract large numbers of birds, which increases the risk of avian influenza spreading.

All bird species are protected during nesting by the Nature Conservation Act (9/2023, section 70) and the EU Birds Directive. This means that bird nesting must not be disturbed, and nests must not be destroyed while they are in use. Unintentional disturbance, such as washing a roof near a bird nest, is also prohibited.

If a gull has already built a nest on the roof, the nest must not be removed. However, next spring, you can try to prevent nesting by frequently visiting the roof or yard at different times of the day. Bird deterrents such as spikes or bird of prey decoys may also help.

If an aggressive pair of gulls builds a nest above an entrance and significantly interferes with the normal use of the building, you can apply for a special permit to remove the nest. Permits for protected species (such as the common gull, black-headed gull and lesser black-backed gull) are issued by the Uusimaa ELY Centre. For non-protected species (like herring gulls and great black-backed gulls), permits are issued by the Finnish Wildlife Agency.

The denning of small predators is protected under the Nature Conservation Act (9/2023, section 70) in Finland. During the protected season, their denning must not be disturbed and dens may not be destroyed.

After the denning season, the animals can be evicted using, for example, an air freshener. Once the animals have left, the den entrance should be blocked to prevent them from returning. You can ask for advice from the city’s health inspectors or your local game management association: Espoo-Kauniainen riistanhoitoyhdistys(external link, opens in a new window).

During the nesting season, both squirrels and pine martens are protected, so disturbing their nest or their young is prohibited in summertime.

After the nesting season, you can block the nest entrances with fine-mesh wire netting to prevent the animals from returning. Make sure all animals have left the nest and roof structures before blocking the entrances.

If the wasps are not causing significant disturbance, the nest does not need to be removed. However, there is no legal restriction against removing a wasp nest. Remove the nest at night while the wasps are in the nest and make sure to wear protective clothing.

Removing a wasp nest (in Finnish, hyönteismaailma.fi)(external link, opens in a new window) 

The common European adder, also known as the common European viper, is protected under the Nature Conservation Act. It is forbidden to kill, capture, disturb or harm adders. However, if there is an adder in your yard and it poses a threat to humans or pets, it may be captured and relocated. Instructions on how to relocate an adder (kyyatlas.fi, in Finnish)(external link, opens in a new window).

Adders only bite people when frightened or threatened. Bites can usually be avoided by staying calm.

In urban areas, beekeeping is allowed on your own property. However, you must have your neighbours’ consent, and the hive must not disturb neighbours or passers-by.

If you want to keep bees on city-owned land, you must obtain permission from the landowner, which you can request from Building Site Services.

Suomen Mehiläishoitajain liitto(external link, opens in a new window)

Stadin tarhaajat(external link, opens in a new window)

Under the Public Order Act (612/2003, section 14), the owner or keeper of a cat must ensure their cat has no access to places such as public beaches, children’s playgrounds or sports fields. In built-up areas, cats must not roam freely without supervision. Free-roaming cats also prey on birds and small mammals. It is estimated that in Finland, millions of birds fall prey to cats each year(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish).

You should first ask the cat’s owner to restrict or supervise its outdoor time. If you do not know who the owner is, you may catch the cat and take it to the nearest animal shelter. Stray animals found in Espoo, Kauniainen and Kirkkonummi are cared for at the Viikki Animal Shelter(external link, opens in a new window) in Helsinki.

Disturbing birds or animals – even outside of the nesting season – is prohibited under the Nature Conservation Act (9/2023, section 70). If you witness such behaviour, ask the person to stop and, if necessary, report the incident to the emergency response centre (112).