River landscape in Lapland

8 facts about Arctic dating and mating

The colder climate the hotter the loving! When the snow starts to melt and length of the day increases, also hormones start to hum.

Animals as well as people want to make the most out of the short warm summer, and unique environment creates unique habits. Here are eight interesting facts about Arctic dating and mating to impress your date with!

1. Bachelor party

Much like young people on a night out in the city, young bachelor reindeers like to roam together. When the rutting season begins the gentlemen start to compete for the attention of the females. Besides enthusiasm and strength, age-provided tactical skills are needed at the reindeer dating market, and often older stags have an advantage against the young air-heads!

Reindeer mating in Lapland
Photo by: Tomi Muukkonen

2. Homecoming

Finnish Lapland is the home of some of the best salmon rivers in Europe. During their lifetime salmons travel long distances, but as we all know there’s no place like home, and eventually the fish always return to their birth river when it’s time to spawn.

River in Lapland
Photo by: Lapland Material Bank

3. All is fair in love and war

Looking for a way to boost up that old flame of yours? In addition to the more well-known Arctic superfoods such as berries, nature also provides its very own love potions. Rose root is believed to give you stamina in between the sheets, and reindeer antler powder has a reputation as nature’s own Viagra.

Rose root in Lapland
Photo by: Arctic Warriors | Lapland Material Bank

4. Dress to impress

The traditional dresses of Sámi people are not just beautiful, they also carry messages about the background of the person. Married Northern Sámi people have square buttons on their belts, whereas unmarried individuals decorate them with round buttons. For Skolt Sámi, the head pieces of women show their marital status.

Sami & church in Lapland
Photo by: Paadar Images | Lapland Material Bank

5. Lovebirds

Tuuli (wind in Finnish) and Marja (berry in Finnish) are common first names for women in Finland, and the touch of nature is also present in Finnish language when it comes to talking about dating. Teerenpeli for example loosely translates to ‘’the play of the black grouse’’, and is used to refer to flirting or showing sexual or romantic interest towards someone.

berries in Lapland
Photo by: Terhi Tuovinen | Lapland Material Bank

6. Not-so-lonely wolf

In Finnish a couple who lives together but isn’t married can be called a ‘’wolf pair’’, susipari. Before, when everyone was expected to tie the knot, the nickname was degrading. However, wolves are actually known to mate for life and thus be very faithful to their companions, so in fact the term should be considered a compliment!

Love on the fell in Lapland
Photo by: Sakari Hyytinen

7. Love at first sight

Not all species form long-lasting relationships. Thread-horns such as mosquitos dedicate their short life entirely to finding a partner just to reproduce with. Many of the species simply copulate but don’t form couples, and the selection of a partner is very straight forward: as long as it’s right sex and species, it will do.

Insects in Lapland
Photo by: Tarja Hoikkala

8. Love nest

The increased light and the abundance of food brings migratory birds back to Lapland every summer. Temminck’s Stint has adapted to the short season by hatching twice in one summer. As responsible parents the bird couple shares the burden: the female lays two sets of eggs from the same male, leaving one nest for him to take care of while she takes care of another.

Owls in Lapland
Photo by: Jorma Lehti