Antarctica’s Apex Predator on the Hunt
TODOS LOS FOTÓGRAFOS TIENEN LA FOTO DE SUS SUEÑOS. For a long time mine was to see a particular natural predation: a leopard seal hunting a penguin in Antarctica. When I traveled to Antarctica for the first time in 2018, I thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Little did I know I’d be venturing back repeatedly over the next few years.
En mi primer viaje, vimos varias especies de pingüinos, buceamos en icebergs y coloridas paredes e hicimos snorkel con focas cangrejeras. Fue simplemente espectacular, pero realmente quería tener un encuentro cara a cara con una foca leopardo bajo el agua. Vimos a varias durmiendo sobre icebergs, pero desafortunadamente no tuvimos encuentros con ellas bajo el agua. Esa fue una excelente excusa para justificar nuestro regreso.
Regresé a la Antártida en el año 2020 y finalmente tuve ese espectacular encuentro con una foca leopardo bajo restos de hielo. La foca era curiosa y nadó alrededor de nosotros durante 90 minutos. Después de eso, quedé fascinada y tuve un verdadero interés en sus comportamientos, movimientos e interacciones con humanos. Guías experimentados de la Antártida me dijeron que las focas han perseguido sus botes inflables de casco rígido (RIB, por sus siglas en inglés), y en ocasiones perforaron los tubos o mordieron los motores, y que pueden ser animales territoriales. Si bien hace 20 años se produjo un incidente fatal que involucró a un investigador, hay muy pocos episodios de focas que atacan a humanos.
Antarctica is remote, so I’ve been cautious and watched the seals’ body language during every encounter over the years. Since that first glorious interaction, I’ve been in the water with nine more leopard seals on various trips. Each time I encounter them, I approach slowly and make sure I don’t corner the animal or move sporadically. I let them come to me and investigate my camera, and I watch for any aggressive movements or signs they might bite.
In February 2023 we were in the water with four large seals more than 10 feet long. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intimidated, but they seemed as timid as us. We were in the water with them for an hour before getting out due to frozen fingers.
Leopard seals have long, sleek bodies with excellent countershading. It’s difficult to see them below the surface, and that’s part of what makes them incredible predators. They have large heads that look almost reptilian, strong jaws that can open 160 degrees, and mouths full of teeth. They are opportunistic feeders but mostly eat krill, fish, and penguins.
I adore penguins, but having the opportunity to see a leopard seal hunt them was something special I wanted to witness. People have asked why I keep going back to Antarctica. It’s because every trip is different, and I have the opportunity to shoot different behaviors. It takes a lot of persistence to be in the right place at the right time, and it finally came together on my fifth trip.
Mi compañera de buceo, Kitrina Godding, y yo estábamos disfrutando de un buceo en una pared de kelp llena de anémonas e invertebrados. Justo cuando decidimos salir a la superficie, su luz destelló rápidamente, lo que me indicó que había algo allí. La primera de dos focas leopardo enormes apareció y nadó hacia mí, a solo 30 centímetros (1 pie) de mi cara. Juntas recorrieron la pared y pasaron rápidamente frente a nosotras varias veces.
We surfaced and watched the two seals chase penguins that were fleeing to the shore. There was a lot of action, with penguins jumping all over and the seals dashing toward them, leaving a giant wake. The seals missed a few times, but then after a big splash one had a penguin in its mouth and dragged it underwater to drown. The seal’s massive head popped out of the water and began to shake the penguin to defeather it.
I swam through a cloud of red and feathers, and as the seal came into view, I slowly approached so it didn’t think I was trying to steal its meal. It watched me but was focused on its catch, which it shook violently and threw in the air several times. It was intense but fascinating to see that it didn’t bite and tear it apart as a shark would. It was more methodical and took its time.
At one point the seal threw the carcass, which landed about a foot away from my lens. I began to back up, not wanting to push my luck in this remote location. It was the only time the seal broke away from eating; it came right up to me and pushed its massive snout against my dome port to investigate. I would have loved that mouth-open, toothy shot, but I didn’t want to anger the seal. Instead, I floated there, not moving, and kept shooting video.
La foca rápidamente volvió nadando para reclamar su pingüino sin despegar esos enormes ojos de mí. No se mostró agresiva conmigo, y finalmente terminó de comer, miró a su alrededor y luego se alejó nadando de manera casual.
This encounter was one of the most amazing I’ve had underwater. To see natural predation in a remote and extreme part of the world is indescribable. In-water encounters during my past four trips here had prepared me for this moment. I could anticipate the seal’s movements and body language. Even though every part of me was freezing in the 32°F degree water, I felt nothing, and my instincts to capture the moment kicked in.
I got back on the RIB, and we all cheered with happiness. My friends knew that this encounter was a dream, and sharing it with them made it even better. I’m grateful to our dive guide, Henrik, who kept telling the group he had seen leopard seals in this area on past trips and that it would be a good dive.
I will keep returning to Antarctica because each month from November to March is unique. Antarctica has delivered something magical and memorable every time I’ve been there. It makes me wonder what is in store for next year, and I keep dreaming about the next shot. AD
© Alert Diver - Q3 2023