Editing Nordland (section)

== Wildlife==
[[File:Puffin2-1.jpg|thumb|[[Røst Municipality]] has the largest seabird colonies along the Norwegian coast, including colonies of puffins.]]

The sea along the coast has a rich marine life, and the [[cod]] fisheries in Lofoten have lasted for more than 1,000 years. In addition to cod, [[Pollachius virens|coalfish]], [[haddock]], [[herring]], [[Anarhichadidae|wolf fish]] and [[halibut]] are all common along the coast and in the fjords. Nordland also features many lakes.  The largest [[deep water coral]] reef ([[Lophelia pertusa]]) in the world, the [[Røst Reef]], {{convert|40|km}} long, is located west of [[Røst Municipality]], and protected from [[trawling]] since 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Havforskningsinstituttet |url=https://www.hi.no/hi/startside |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011222735/http://www.imr.no/coral/ |archive-date=11 October 2008 |website=Havforskningsinstituttet}}</ref> The coast of Nordland has the highest density of [[white-tailed eagle]]s in Europe{{cn|date=July 2021}}.

Just off the coast, the islands of [[Røst Municipality]] have the largest colonies of seabirds in Norway. Røst offers a range of [[habitat]]s and serves as a stop-over point for many birds that are migrating even further north. The municipality is home to one of the largest [[bird cliff]]s in the [[North Atlantic]], where birdwatchers can find [[Atlantic puffin|puffin]], [[common shag|shag]], [[black-legged kittiwake|kittiwake]], and [[great cormorant|cormorant]] colonies.

[[Lovund]] also has a well-known colony of puffins.

[[File:Sjurfjellet4.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Marked hiking route in [[Junkerdal National Park]].]]
[[European otter|Otters]] are very common along the coast and fjords, as are [[harbour porpoise]]s, [[grey seal]]s and [[harbour seal]]s. The largest fish in the sea is the [[basking shark]], which used to be hunted.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Basking shark in Norwegian waters |url=http://www.fiskeri.no/english/Basking%20Shark.htm |website=fiskeri.no}}</ref> The most frequent birds along the coast, common in all areas including the fjords, are [[gull]]s{{which|reason= Multiple species are most likely present|date=July 2021}}, [[Eurasian oystercatcher]] and [[Arctic tern]]s, and the [[grey heron]] has also become common. The [[Eurasian eagle-owl]] has a stronghold along the Helgeland coast, whilst predatory birds like [[golden eagle]], [[gyrfalcon]], and [[peregrine falcon]] nest in some inaccessible areas. [[Orca]]s are common along the coast and in the Vestfjord area (even in the fjords) in winter, and the world's largest predator, the [[sperm whale]], hunts for prey in the deep waters west of [[Andøya]]. Tysfjord and Folda fjord is home to the world's northernmost [[Homarus gammarus|lobster]] population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Characteristics of the lobster population in Tysjord and Folda |url=https://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/37168589/Population-characteristics-of-the-worlds-northernmost-stocks-of-European-lobster-Homarus-gammarus-in-Tysfjord-and-Nordfolda-northern-Norway |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref>
[[File:Ahma (Gulo gulo) 10 kallerna.jpg|thumb|right|The long inland mountain range with alpine tundra and the subarctic forest is part of the core area for  [[wolverine]] in western Europe.]]
[[Norway spruce|Spruce]] forest expansion has been blocked by Saltfjell and Kjølen mountains, thus spruce forest naturally grows only in Helgeland, but are commonly planted in the whole county for economic reasons, sparking some debate. [[Sitka spruce]] is also commonly planted in Nordland, particularly in coastal areas. The coastal areas belong to the [[Scandinavian coastal conifer forests]] [[ecoregion]]; some small areas have been classified as rainforests using botanical criteria as well as precipitation data. Inland areas up to the conifer treeline belong to the [[Scandinavian and Russian taiga]] ecoregion, while the highlands and mountains belong to the [[Scandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslands]] ecoregion.

Other common trees in Nordland are [[birch]], [[rowan]], [[willow]], [[Alnus incana|grey alder]], [[Prunus padus|bird cherry]], [[aspen]] and [[Scots pine]], more rarely seen is [[wych elm]] and [[corylus avellana|common hazel]] (elm north to [[Beiarn Municipality]], hazel north to [[Steigen Municipality]], [[small-leaved lime]] north to Brønnøy Municipality, [[Malus sylvestris|forest apple]] north to [[Moskenes Municipality]]). The Nordland [[whitebeam]] (''Nordlandsasal'') is one of very few [[endemism|endemic]] trees in Norway and only grows in [[Bindal Municipality]] in Nordland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miljøstatus - Nordland - Tema - Naturområder - Naturvernområder - Naturvernområder i Nordland |url=http://nordland.miljostatus.no/msf_themepage.aspx?m=1639#13317 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207092633/http://nordland.miljostatus.no/msf_themepage.aspx?m=1639#13317 |archive-date=2012-02-07 |access-date=2008-02-21}}</ref>

In the mountain areas in the interior, [[reindeer]] can be seen (these have [[sami people|Sami]] owners), hunted by the indigenous wolverine. There are also a few [[brown bear]]s in the interior. The [[Arctic fox]] is now in danger of extinction on the mainland, but a few are left in these mountain areas, particularly in the mountains of [[Børgefjell National Park]]. [[Red fox]]es, [[moose]], [[hare]]s, [[red squirrel]]s, small [[rodent]]s, [[European pine marten|pine marten]] (inland valleys) and [[stoat]]s are all common in the forests. As of 2008, there were a minimum of 50 [[European lynx]] in Nordland<ref>{{Cite web |title=nordland miljøstatus |url=http://nordland.miljostatus.no/msf_themepage.aspx?m=1398 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001095627/http://nordland.miljostatus.no/msf_themepage.aspx?m=1398 |archive-date=2011-10-01 |access-date=2008-09-14 |website=miljostatus.no}}</ref> residing in the forests in all Nordland except Lofoten and Vesterålen. In lowland areas, [[roe deer]]s now occur in most of Nordland, and [[red deer]]s are seen in the southern part of Nordland. The [[European badger|badger]] and the [[Vipera berus|common viper]] have their most northerly habitat in southerly coastal areas of Nordland. [[Gray wolf|Grey wolves]] have been observed in inland areas of [[Helgeland]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Info om radiomerka ulv i Nordland - FM Nordland |url=http://www.fylkesmannen.no/liste.aspx?m=2597&amid=1087938 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206135321/http://www.fylkesmannen.no/liste.aspx?m=2597&amid=1087938 |archive-date=2012-02-06 |access-date=2007-12-16}}</ref> There are few species of [[amphibian]]s, although the [[common frog]] is common in all Nordland except mountain areas and the [[smooth newt]] has its most northerly habitat in the world in the river [[Vefsna]]. There are seven national parks in, or partly in, Nordland. From south to north, these are [[Børgefjell National Park]], [[Lomsdal–Visten National Park]], [[Saltfjellet–Svartisen National Park]], Junkerdal National Park, [[Rago National Park]], [[Sjunkhatten National Park]] and [[Møysalen National Park]]. The national park centre for Nordland is situated in Saltdal.