The endangered Saimaa ringed seal (''Pusa hispida saimensis''), one of only three lake seal species in the world, exists only in the Saimaa lake system of southeastern Finland, down to only 390 seals today. Ever since the species was protected in 1955, it has become the emblem of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation. The Saimaa ringed seal lives nowadays mainly in two Finnish national parks, Kolovesi and Linnansaari,  but strays have been seen in a much larger area, including near Savonlinna's town centre.