Exceptional drought and heat threaten Finland’s wildlife – pollinators dying and fish spawning at risk

Unusually warm and dry spring conditions are causing severe ecological disruptions in Finland, with bumblebee queens dying and fish struggling to spawn, reports Yle.

Panu Halme, a research professor at the Finnish Environment Institute, warns that the situation is alarming for many natural processes. Water levels in lakes and rivers are dropping faster than usual, with some already at record lows. The early snowmelt, combined with prolonged dryness, has left ecosystems vulnerable.

“The sudden warming, especially when followed by nighttime frosts, has been deadly for bumblebee queens,” Halme explains. Many have awakened to find no food available, as early-flowering plants like coltsfoot have not yet bloomed. “Each dead queen means one fewer bumblebee nest this summer,” he adds, noting that while other pollinators like flies and butterflies may partially compensate, the long-term effects remain concerning.

The drought is also forcing amphibians to seek new breeding sites as their usual ponds and ditches dry up. Fish species that spawn in spring, such as pike and perch, face challenges due to the lack of flooded shorelines—critical for reproduction. In nutrient-poor lakes with sparse aquatic vegetation, spawning success may decline significantly.

Halme highlights the risk of warming water bodies, particularly for cold-water species like brown trout. With low water levels and reduced flow, streams and rivers could reach lethal temperatures of up to 27°C this summer. “Such conditions are devastating for trout and other cold-adapted fish,” he says.

Climate change is making early springs more frequent, Halme stresses. “If this pattern continues, many species will decline. The change is already too drastic.” He suggests halting drainage projects in forests to retain moisture and promoting natural farming methods to help ecosystems retain water more effectively. “To a large extent, we’ve brought this on ourselves,” he admits.

This year’s ice cover was historically brief, with lakes thawing earlier than usual. Experts warn that without intervention, similar conditions will become the norm, further straining Finland’s biodiversity.