Norwegian kayaker escapes from jaws of polar bear when partner shoots animal dead

Telegraph ^ | 10 Aug 2010

[Pecos]

Lessons Learned:

1. Rig more trip flares

2. Never disguise yourself as a seal in the artic.

3. Norwegians are tougher than seals.

[Pecos]

Lesson #4: Never bring a shotgun to a polar bear fight.

[george76]

it was hungry

[OldDeckHand]

"biggest land predator on Earth. "

Um, I think I know a few Hippos that might take issue with that statement. Hippos kill FAR MORE humans each year than all the bear species combined.

[jessduntno]

Awww...that's just wrong...

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

The shooter should be charged with murder. (sarc)

[thackney]

Never bring a shotgun to a polar bear fight

Ping

[rbosque]

The guy was lucky!

[null and void]

Um, I think I know a few Hippos that might take issue with that statement. Hippos kill FAR MORE humans each year than all the bear species combined.

I don't think vegetarians count as predators, besides, HUMANS kill far more humans every year than all the other animals on earth combined.

The difference being that usually we don't do it to eat each other, so we don't count it as predation...

[luvbach1]

Perhaps Hippos are considered river predators.

[thackney]

Hippos are not a predator. They may kill but they don’t eat meat.

[NativeSon]

This was a close call and could have been worse. The bear could have gotten the gvn, used against both of them and then use it against women and children in the inner cities.

Eventually the bear would have sold it to gangbangers.

Next time, they should go along with bear, do not resist, perhaps shout "Hare Krishna" to confuse the attacker.

[jazusamo]

They're really lucky this one didn't come after them.

[RetroSexual]

Someone recently posted here asking for recommendations as to the best alarm clock. I wish I could find that post, because I think I now have the answer.

[SMARTY]

I think they mean ‘predator’ as in kill to eat not just kill per se

[dead]

Hippos don't kill to eat, so they're not predators.

They kill because people annoy them.

[calex59]

Hippos are not a predator. They may kill but they don’t eat meat.

Unless you count the occasional circus midget.

[stuartcr]

Not if they’re pumpkin people.

[OldDeckHand]

"They may kill but they don’t eat meat."

I was watching a Discovery or Animal Planet special last year that said Hippos are primarily vegetarians, but there was recently discovered evidence that some hippo populations will also eat meat - more carnivores of opportunity or necessity though.

It was the same special that talked about populations of gorillas in Africa that also ate meat - mostly monkeys, which also was only recently discovered.

Still, no they aren't they same kind of "predator" as a Polar Bear, but they are equally territorial.