since the time of Shackleton these seals have had a bad reputation Shackleton in
have had a bad reputation Shackleton in
have had a bad reputation Shackleton in fact used so the stories go he used to
fact used so the stories go he used to
fact used so the stories go he used to be use a man as bait he’d put him on the
be use a man as bait he’d put him on the
be use a man as bait he’d put him on the ice and the leopard seal would lunge out
ice and the leopard seal would lunge out
ice and the leopard seal would lunge out of the water at him and shoot it and
of the water at him and shoot it and
of the water at him and shoot it and another guy would shoot it and then they
another guy would shoot it and then they
another guy would shoot it and then they would keep it for dog food and I was
would keep it for dog food and I was
would keep it for dog food and I was like no these seals aren’t that vicious
like no these seals aren’t that vicious
like no these seals aren’t that vicious and and and you hear all these stories
and and and you hear all these stories
and and and you hear all these stories and tragically a scientist was killed by
and tragically a scientist was killed by
and tragically a scientist was killed by it by a leopard seal in 1994 2004 crease
it by a leopard seal in 1994 2004 crease
it by a leopard seal in 1994 2004 crease ad situation but I still wanted to give
ad situation but I still wanted to give
ad situation but I still wanted to give this animal a fair shake I wanted to go
this animal a fair shake I wanted to go
this animal a fair shake I wanted to go down to Antarctica and get in the water
down to Antarctica and get in the water
down to Antarctica and get in the water with as many leopard seals as I could
with as many leopard seals as I could
with as many leopard seals as I could just to try and understand them and so I
just to try and understand them and so I
just to try and understand them and so I worked with my friend gora and elma from
worked with my friend gora and elma from
worked with my friend gora and elma from Sweden who who has a lot of experience
Sweden who who has a lot of experience
Sweden who who has a lot of experience with leopard seals and together we were
with leopard seals and together we were
with leopard seals and together we were going to go on this little journey to
going to go on this little journey to
going to go on this little journey to try and solve the mystery of these seals
try and solve the mystery of these seals
try and solve the mystery of these seals to see if they were misunderstood if
to see if they were misunderstood if
to see if they were misunderstood if they really were vicious beasts and they
they really were vicious beasts and they
they really were vicious beasts and they also eat Happy Feet you know it’s we you
also eat Happy Feet you know it’s we you
also eat Happy Feet you know it’s we you know we’re very emotional species you
know we’re very emotional species you
know we’re very emotional species you know we we think penguins are cute and
know we we think penguins are cute and
know we we think penguins are cute and we think leopard seals are ugly
we think leopard seals are ugly
we think leopard seals are ugly therefore leopard seals are bad
therefore leopard seals are bad
therefore leopard seals are bad penguins are good it doesn’t work like
penguins are good it doesn’t work like
penguins are good it doesn’t work like that the seal doesn’t know he’s cute or
that the seal doesn’t know he’s cute or
that the seal doesn’t know he’s cute or ugly leopard seal I mean the penguin
ugly leopard seal I mean the penguin
ugly leopard seal I mean the penguin doesn’t know he’s cute I mean this is
doesn’t know he’s cute I mean this is
doesn’t know he’s cute I mean this is just how the ecosystem unfolds this is
just how the ecosystem unfolds this is
just how the ecosystem unfolds this is just all part of the food chain and
just all part of the food chain and
just all part of the food chain and leopard seals are all so big I mean
leopard seals are all so big I mean
leopard seals are all so big I mean you’re thinking ringed seals right
you’re thinking ringed seals right
you’re thinking ringed seals right you’re thinking 100-pound seal these
you’re thinking 100-pound seal these
you’re thinking 100-pound seal these guys are over a thousand pounds and this
guys are over a thousand pounds and this
guys are over a thousand pounds and this was a massive female leopard seal that
was a massive female leopard seal that
was a massive female leopard seal that gowron’s in the water with so we arrived
gowron’s in the water with so we arrived
gowron’s in the water with so we arrived in Antarctica and I was so stressed
in Antarctica and I was so stressed
in Antarctica and I was so stressed about stressed out were we going to find
about stressed out were we going to find
about stressed out were we going to find leopard seals to photograph in July was
leopard seals to photograph in July was
leopard seals to photograph in July was like you know relax relax and so our
like you know relax relax and so our
like you know relax relax and so our first day there we come around the
first day there we come around the
first day there we come around the corner we love we anchor the sailboat
corner we love we anchor the sailboat
corner we love we anchor the sailboat get in our dinghy we go around the
get in our dinghy we go around the
get in our dinghy we go around the corner and there’s this massive female
corner and there’s this massive female
corner and there’s this massive female leopard seal and she’s ripping the head
leopard seal and she’s ripping the head
leopard seal and she’s ripping the head off this penguin shaking ups from side
off this penguin shaking ups from side
off this penguin shaking ups from side to side these are the feet here trailing
to side these are the feet here trailing
to side these are the feet here trailing behind she whips it back and forth to
behind she whips it back and forth to
behind she whips it back and forth to turned it inside out so she can eat the
turned it inside out so she can eat the
turned it inside out so she can eat the meat and it was pretty horrific there
meat and it was pretty horrific there
meat and it was pretty horrific there was chunk there were chunks of meat in
was chunk there were chunks of meat in
was chunk there were chunks of meat in the water
the water
the water she came up underneath the boat she
she came up underneath the boat she
she came up underneath the boat she rammed the penguin underneath the hull
rammed the penguin underneath the hull
rammed the penguin underneath the hull of the boat almost knock
of the boat almost knock
of the boat almost knock in the water we had to sit down she was
in the water we had to sit down she was
in the water we had to sit down she was longer than our 12 foot long Zodiac boat
longer than our 12 foot long Zodiac boat
longer than our 12 foot long Zodiac boat and that’s when you Don my guide said
and that’s when you Don my guide said
and that’s when you Don my guide said it’s time for you to get in the water
it’s time for you to get in the water
it’s time for you to get in the water yeah and I said and I and he’s just big
yeah and I said and I and he’s just big
yeah and I said and I and he’s just big strong burly swede and very strong guy
strong burly swede and very strong guy
strong burly swede and very strong guy and you know he’s a Thorat ativ
and you know he’s a Thorat ativ
and you know he’s a Thorat ativ individual and I was like you know
individual and I was like you know
individual and I was like you know forget that except I probably used a
forget that except I probably used a
forget that except I probably used a different word starting with the letter
different word starting with the letter
different word starting with the letter F and he’s like look at you complain
F and he’s like look at you complain
F and he’s like look at you complain about your budget you complained about
about your budget you complained about
about your budget you complained about not enough time blah blah blah now you
not enough time blah blah blah now you
not enough time blah blah blah now you shut up and get in the water I present
shut up and get in the water I present
shut up and get in the water I present you a bloody big beautiful leopard so no
you a bloody big beautiful leopard so no
you a bloody big beautiful leopard so no get in the water and so I looked at him
get in the water and so I looked at him
get in the water and so I looked at him I look at the leopard seal I’m trembling
I look at the leopard seal I’m trembling
I look at the leopard seal I’m trembling I got dry mouth and I part my lips with
I got dry mouth and I part my lips with
I got dry mouth and I part my lips with my snorkel and roll over the side of the
my snorkel and roll over the side of the
my snorkel and roll over the side of the zodiac into the water with this seal
zodiac into the water with this seal
zodiac into the water with this seal terrified I mean this is a big big
terrified I mean this is a big big
terrified I mean this is a big big animal and this is the first thing she
animal and this is the first thing she
animal and this is the first thing she does she comes shooting right over to me
does she comes shooting right over to me
does she comes shooting right over to me and she engulfs my camera and inside her
and she engulfs my camera and inside her
and she engulfs my camera and inside her entire mouth and you know again the
entire mouth and you know again the
entire mouth and you know again the photographer instinct kicks in well I
photographer instinct kicks in well I
photographer instinct kicks in well I mean here we are we might as well shoot
mean here we are we might as well shoot
mean here we are we might as well shoot but you Don gave me great advice
but you Don gave me great advice
but you Don gave me great advice he said if you get scared you close your
he said if you get scared you close your
he said if you get scared you close your eyes and she’ll go away yeah so he
eyes and she’ll go away yeah so he
eyes and she’ll go away yeah so he really did say that and the other advice
really did say that and the other advice
really did say that and the other advice he gave me was stay with the penguin
he gave me was stay with the penguin
he gave me was stay with the penguin yeah he would kept yelling that I could
yeah he would kept yelling that I could
yeah he would kept yelling that I could hear him you know I’m breathing in my
hear him you know I’m breathing in my
hear him you know I’m breathing in my snorkel my Adrenaline’s going he’s
snorkel my Adrenaline’s going he’s
snorkel my Adrenaline’s going he’s yelling stay with the penguin cuz this
yelling stay with the penguin cuz this
yelling stay with the penguin cuz this leopard seal is killing penguins and he
leopard seal is killing penguins and he
leopard seal is killing penguins and he said if I stay with them I’ll get my
said if I stay with them I’ll get my
said if I stay with them I’ll get my shots well the most amazing thing
shots well the most amazing thing
shots well the most amazing thing happened she did this threat display for
happened she did this threat display for
happened she did this threat display for a few minutes and then she completely
a few minutes and then she completely
a few minutes and then she completely relaxed and I didn’t know what was gonna
relaxed and I didn’t know what was gonna
relaxed and I didn’t know what was gonna happen next and she left I thought well
happen next and she left I thought well
happen next and she left I thought well the show’s over and she came back and
the show’s over and she came back and
the show’s over and she came back and she had a penguin by the feet and she
she had a penguin by the feet and she
she had a penguin by the feet and she held it it was flapping and she let it
held it it was flapping and she let it
held it it was flapping and she let it go penguins swam towards me and took off
go penguins swam towards me and took off
go penguins swam towards me and took off she went after and caught it came back
she went after and caught it came back
she went after and caught it came back and did it again she did this about 10
and did it again she did this about 10
and did it again she did this about 10 times in a dawned on me she’s trying to
times in a dawned on me she’s trying to
times in a dawned on me she’s trying to feed me a penguin and I was like no it
feed me a penguin and I was like no it
feed me a penguin and I was like no it can’t be but I thought well I’ll just
can’t be but I thought well I’ll just
can’t be but I thought well I’ll just keep shooting I mean this picture here
keep shooting I mean this picture here
keep shooting I mean this picture here was you know not a fluke I mean I had so
was you know not a fluke I mean I had so
was you know not a fluke I mean I had so many chances to get this shot cuz she
many chances to get this shot cuz she
many chances to get this shot cuz she kept trying to feed me this penguin and
kept trying to feed me this penguin and
kept trying to feed me this penguin and I swear as she swam by me to get the
I swear as she swam by me to get the
I swear as she swam by me to get the penguin that just swam away
penguin that just swam away
penguin that just swam away she had this dejected look on her face
she had this dejected look on her face
she had this dejected look on her face and she’d look over at me she’d swim by
and she’d look over at me she’d swim by
and she’d look over at me she’d swim by grab the penguin and do it again and the
grab the penguin and do it again and the
grab the penguin and do it again and the biologists him he doesn’t want to
biologists him he doesn’t want to
biologists him he doesn’t want to anthropomorphize these situations but
anthropomorphize these situations but
anthropomorphize these situations but that’s what it really appeared to be at
that’s what it really appeared to be at
that’s what it really appeared to be at the time and then that didn’t work I
the time and then that didn’t work I
the time and then that didn’t work I couldn’t catch the swimming penguin so
couldn’t catch the swimming penguin so
couldn’t catch the swimming penguin so she grabbed the penguin and she made it
she grabbed the penguin and she made it
she grabbed the penguin and she made it really tie
really tie
really tie wore it down got it nice and exhausted
wore it down got it nice and exhausted
wore it down got it nice and exhausted and then she kind of bobbed towards me
and then she kind of bobbed towards me
and then she kind of bobbed towards me in this vertical position and she gently
in this vertical position and she gently
in this vertical position and she gently let the penguin go in it swam away and
let the penguin go in it swam away and
let the penguin go in it swam away and she went into this a few times that
she went into this a few times that
she went into this a few times that didn’t work so she did this other thing
didn’t work so she did this other thing
didn’t work so she did this other thing where she got a penguin and she got
where she got a penguin and she got
where she got a penguin and she got extremely tired now and she ate every
extremely tired now and she ate every
extremely tired now and she ate every penguin she did this to you felt bad for
penguin she did this to you felt bad for
penguin she did this to you felt bad for the Penguins but this is what she does
the Penguins but this is what she does
the Penguins but this is what she does they play with her food anyways so here
they play with her food anyways so here
they play with her food anyways so here is she she’s on her back she’s sliding
is she she’s on her back she’s sliding
is she she’s on her back she’s sliding down an iceberg and he’s really sort of
down an iceberg and he’s really sort of
down an iceberg and he’s really sort of sexy belly like poses where she’s sort
sexy belly like poses where she’s sort
sexy belly like poses where she’s sort of twirling around at the penguin and
of twirling around at the penguin and
of twirling around at the penguin and then she’d come around like this and
then she’d come around like this and
then she’d come around like this and then she had presented to me like that I
then she had presented to me like that I
then she had presented to me like that I like that and I would sit there looking
like that and I would sit there looking
like that and I would sit there looking at this penguin like I don’t know what
at this penguin like I don’t know what
at this penguin like I don’t know what to do with this penguin and and that
to do with this penguin and and that
to do with this penguin and and that didn’t work so she was getting
didn’t work so she was getting
didn’t work so she was getting frustrated so she got me dead penguin
frustrated so she got me dead penguin
frustrated so she got me dead penguin she would drown them and she would just
she would drown them and she would just
she would drown them and she would just swim right up to me and just give me
swim right up to me and just give me
swim right up to me and just give me dead penguins and then she just stopped
dead penguins and then she just stopped
dead penguins and then she just stopped sometimes with a dead penguin floating
sometimes with a dead penguin floating
sometimes with a dead penguin floating there in front of me and just stare at
there in front of me and just stare at
there in front of me and just stare at me like are you for real this is all
me like are you for real this is all
me like are you for real this is all happening in two days can you imagine
happening in two days can you imagine
happening in two days can you imagine from this sheer terror of this animal
from this sheer terror of this animal
from this sheer terror of this animal and yet on in the book on i-told-you-so
and yet on in the book on i-told-you-so
and yet on in the book on i-told-you-so yeah and then this seal staring at me me
yeah and then this seal staring at me me
yeah and then this seal staring at me me this is all unfolding very quickly and
this is all unfolding very quickly and
this is all unfolding very quickly and that didn’t work I didn’t touch the dead
that didn’t work I didn’t touch the dead
that didn’t work I didn’t touch the dead penguin so she grabbed penguins and
penguin so she grabbed penguins and
penguin so she grabbed penguins and she’d flip him on top of my head so now
she’d flip him on top of my head so now
she’d flip him on top of my head so now I have penguins on top of my head and
I have penguins on top of my head and
I have penguins on top of my head and I’m sitting there just photographing and
I’m sitting there just photographing and
I’m sitting there just photographing and you’ve got the feet hanging in front and
you’ve got the feet hanging in front and
you’ve got the feet hanging in front and I’m just not moving I’m just shooting
I’m just not moving I’m just shooting
I’m just not moving I’m just shooting now this is every photographers dream to
now this is every photographers dream to
now this is every photographers dream to have a top predator like this trying to
have a top predator like this trying to
have a top predator like this trying to force-feed you I mean it’s you know I
force-feed you I mean it’s you know I
force-feed you I mean it’s you know I thought we were gonna fell fail this
thought we were gonna fell fail this
thought we were gonna fell fail this story we ended up shooting this entire
story we ended up shooting this entire
story we ended up shooting this entire story in two days cuz of this and then
story in two days cuz of this and then
story in two days cuz of this and then she started to show frustration and I
she started to show frustration and I
she started to show frustration and I started to get worried she’d come up to
started to get worried she’d come up to
started to get worried she’d come up to me and she’d blow bubbles which is a
me and she’d blow bubbles which is a
me and she’d blow bubbles which is a sign a threat display in the wild world
sign a threat display in the wild world
sign a threat display in the wild world but she does blow bubbles and go back to
but she does blow bubbles and go back to
but she does blow bubbles and go back to trying to feed me so I don’t know what
trying to feed me so I don’t know what
trying to feed me so I don’t know what she was really trying to say and then
she was really trying to say and then
she was really trying to say and then this one time she did this deep guttural
this one time she did this deep guttural
this one time she did this deep guttural jackhammer sound she rolled upside down
jackhammer sound she rolled upside down
jackhammer sound she rolled upside down on her back and she did this book of
on her back and she did this book of
on her back and she did this book of goop goop goop goop really deep and I
goop goop goop goop really deep and I
goop goop goop goop really deep and I could feel it vibrate through my whole
could feel it vibrate through my whole
could feel it vibrate through my whole body and I was like oh I’m about to get
body and I was like oh I’m about to get
body and I was like oh I’m about to get hit you know she’s upset now and what
hit you know she’s upset now and what
hit you know she’s upset now and what had happened was another leopard seal
had happened was another leopard seal
had happened was another leopard seal had snuck in behind me and she did a
had snuck in behind me and she did a
had snuck in behind me and she did a threat display she chased it away it was
threat display she chased it away it was
threat display she chased it away it was another big female she chased it away
another big female she chased it away
another big female she chased it away and she grabbed its penguin and brought
and she grabbed its penguin and brought
and she grabbed its penguin and brought his penguin back and gave it to me
his penguin back and gave it to me
his penguin back and gave it to me you
”
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