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- Dec 24, 2002
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British Scientist Killed by Leopard Seal
This is a sad story, but a cautionary one to those snorkeling around "cute" animals like seals and other marine mammals.
The leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx, is a large seal with a fondness for penguins. In fact, they are known to shake the birds with such ferocity that the skin is quite literally thrown free of the body (yuk!). I have been face to face with an elephant seal, Mirunga angustirostris, and I can tell you that marine mammals look a lot less cute when they are threating to kill you. Still though, I've never heard of a leopard seal attacking a human... sad... very sad.
Sorry this wasn't a more happy post. Next one will hopefully be more upbeat.
John
This is a sad story, but a cautionary one to those snorkeling around "cute" animals like seals and other marine mammals.
The leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx, is a large seal with a fondness for penguins. In fact, they are known to shake the birds with such ferocity that the skin is quite literally thrown free of the body (yuk!). I have been face to face with an elephant seal, Mirunga angustirostris, and I can tell you that marine mammals look a lot less cute when they are threating to kill you. Still though, I've never heard of a leopard seal attacking a human... sad... very sad.
Sorry this wasn't a more happy post. Next one will hopefully be more upbeat.
John