• Sweden edition
Society

Peeing Swede filmed in shock bear encounter

Published: 12 Jun 12 12:35 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/41394/20120612/

A half-naked 61-year-old Swedish man who was relieving himself in the woods got quite a start when a rampaging bear chasing an elk knocked him down – all as his wife recorded the unlikely chain of events with an iPad.

Last Sunday, Ola Åkesson left his normally tranquil summer cabin in the Ängraån nature reserve in northerneastern Sweden to take what he referred to as his “night time piss”.

Looking up as he heeded nature's call, Åkesson saw a baby elk on the other side of the stream.

“I called to my wife to get out the iPad to film the elk, when all of a sudden she screamed that there was a bear behind me,” Åkesson told The Local.

“I turned around and there was a huge bear right beside me – maybe half a metre away, I could have reached out and touched it – but I didn’t even have time to think.”

As the bear came charging onto the scene, Åkesson fell to the ground, all the while with his wife screaming in the background while filming the commotion.



“Look out Ola – a bear is coming!” screamed Åkesson’s wife in the video, followed by stream of well-known Swedish swear words.

“Are you stupid? Run, for god’s sake!”

The bear, which Åkesson believes was hunting the little elk, then plowed onto the waterside deck in a frenzy, knocking a bird-shaped ornament into the water, before then vanishing back into the woods.

Meanwhile, a half-naked Åkesson stumbled back up to the house in his underwear.

It remains unclear whether the bear was after the elk, or a taste of Åkesson's own Swedish meatballs, yet the Swede says he doesn’t care.

He’s just happy to be alive to tell the tale.

When asked how it felt to shoot to fame in his underwear, the 61-year-old Åkesson laughed.

“Ah, that’s no problem for me at all, I’m just glad the whole thing was caught on camera otherwise no one would believe it,” he chuckled.

As for the couple, Åkesson told The Local that life will continue as normal, adding that there weren’t even any plans to add an indoor toilet to the country house in order to ensure he and has wife avoid any future unexpected run ins with wild animals.

“This was just a one in a million chance; we doubt it will ever happen again,” he said.

Oliver Gee
Follow Oliver on Twitter here

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13:46 June 12, 2012 by Samuel Nemalladinne
can anyone translate word by word whats going on in the video if you dont mind, all i could understand were the words 'titta', 'herre gud' and 'fan' :)
14:42 June 12, 2012 by philster61
Guess the bear didn't like that fact that somebody else was marking out its own territory......
15:34 June 12, 2012 by Emerentia
I tried to post a translation but it said I couldn't, it was something about profanity.
22:30 June 12, 2012 by dizzymoe33
I am just laughing at the fact that you Swedes sure do love peeing outside a lot it seems to be a National pastime!!! :)
23:24 June 12, 2012 by Emerentia
I toned down the swearing a bit, and try to post a translation again:

Reporter: This couple was in for a big surprise outside of their summer cottage on sunday night, Olov Håkansson was answering a call of nature outside when he suddenly got a surprise visit. Maud Ljungberg caught in on tape.

Maud: Look Ola! A bear is coming! LOOK OUT!!! RUN!!! Damn it, old sod! Get up here, damn you! Are you stupid?! Run, for god's sake! A damn bear was coming!

Ola: I saw that...

Maud: Oh my god! Damn... What the h-ll is going on... What the h-ll... He was chasing the calf... Look the calf is drown... Oh dear, were did the bear go...and you fell...

Reporter: It was a elk calf that was the real focus of the video, Olov saw it by the water, just when he had finished peeing, and called for Maud to get the camera. It was then the bear, who had felt the scent of the elk made his unexpected entry and stole the show.
01:48 June 13, 2012 by Coalbanks
Nature in the raw! Yahoo! The bear wouldn't have been bothered by a man if it had encountered one before. Probably a young bear as it seemed confused when it should have run down the elk calf fairly easily in a short run.
02:42 June 13, 2012 by blue2012
Ah, country life, you will never know what is going to happen.

Nature is full of surprises.
08:59 June 13, 2012 by scandiland
Maud's colourful language is the best thing I've seen/heard on the Local...
23:30 June 13, 2012 by dizzymoe33
@#6 thank you for the translation it is still pretty funny I can't believe the guy wasn't mauled by the bear!!
14:53 June 14, 2012 by shamann
poor man he was lucky that the bear was young otherwise i think he would have been attacked by the bear anw now he's got a story to tell to he's grandkids
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