The Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava” is the only scientific institution in Latvia that professionally deals with the study of four-legged mammals, including not only game animals but also non-game species, such as dormice, otters, and brown bears. In recent years, a new field has emerged in connection with wind farm parks – assessing the threat to bats. In general, our activities are twofold: we study both animal species and processes unique to Latvia, which influence not only hunting but also human economic activity and recreation.

There are about 60 terrestrial mammal species. Some are added, while others disappear. Thus, in recent decades, we have lost the flying squirrel, the garden dormouse, and also the European mink. There are still stories about the wolverine, which in reality has not been here for a couple of centuries. However, a few times a year people call to say they have seen a wolverine – it looks like a very large marten, the size of a fairly large dog. In contrast, an example of a newly arrived species is the golden jackal. In Latvia, all new species are associated with open landscapes. After the end of the Ice Age, a forest landscape persisted in the territory for a long time, but with the beginning of deforestation and agricultural activity, open-landscape species arrived, including the brown hare and the common vole. Many are surprised that these are new species, but they have only been with us since the 17th century.