Bear leaves faecal greeting in front of Swedish town hall
Town councillors in Ytterhogdal in northern Sweden arrived at work on Tuesday to discover that a member of the local bear population had left an insalubrious pile of dung outside the front door.
According to local resident Mårten Jonsson, the pile of bear pooh was a substantial mess of lingonberry-laced excrement that had been cooled by the overnight frost.
"It was not here yesterday, I am certain of that," said Jonsson to the local Östersunds-Posten daily.
While the exact time of the faecal delivery appears to be in some doubt, there is no question in Mårten Jonsson's mind that it's bearer was a brown bear.
"There are a large number of people who have been by to have a look, among them an experienced hunter, and everyone is in agreement that it is bear shit," Jonsson told the newspaper.
While there is no suggestion that the offbeat calling card is a comment on municipal governance, there is some concern over the bear's night time walk through the town and choice of impromptu latrine.
"When it is a bear that's thrashing about here then it feels a little worrying. I wouldn't want to meet it on the way to or from my car," said Lena Arnesson at the Ytterhogdal local government office to the newspaper.
While bears are considered to be shy animals and will avoid humans where possible, contrary to popular wisdom it is not uncommon for them to relieve themselves outside of the woods.
There are estimated to be around 2,000 bears in Sweden. The county of Jämtland authorised the killing of 90 animals during the 2010 hunt, which ended on October 15th.
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According to local resident Mårten Jonsson, the pile of bear pooh was a substantial mess of lingonberry-laced excrement that had been cooled by the overnight frost.
"It was not here yesterday, I am certain of that," said Jonsson to the local Östersunds-Posten daily.
While the exact time of the faecal delivery appears to be in some doubt, there is no question in Mårten Jonsson's mind that it's bearer was a brown bear.
"There are a large number of people who have been by to have a look, among them an experienced hunter, and everyone is in agreement that it is bear shit," Jonsson told the newspaper.
While there is no suggestion that the offbeat calling card is a comment on municipal governance, there is some concern over the bear's night time walk through the town and choice of impromptu latrine.
"When it is a bear that's thrashing about here then it feels a little worrying. I wouldn't want to meet it on the way to or from my car," said Lena Arnesson at the Ytterhogdal local government office to the newspaper.
While bears are considered to be shy animals and will avoid humans where possible, contrary to popular wisdom it is not uncommon for them to relieve themselves outside of the woods.
There are estimated to be around 2,000 bears in Sweden. The county of Jämtland authorised the killing of 90 animals during the 2010 hunt, which ended on October 15th.
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