Deadly Beauty-Leopard Seals

Paul Nicklen

National Geographic Magazine

A leopard seal lies on a piece of drifting glacier ice, satiated from a feast of penguins earlier in the morning. After hundreds of encounters with leopard seals my colleague, Goran Ehlme, and I concluded that leopard seals are like any other top predator. They are efficient killing machines, have confidence and can be aggressive, but never did we feel threatened or in danger. It was truly the assignment of a lifetime. Due to our discoveries, Antarctica research stations are already talking about changing the rules of their programs where they do not have to get out of the water when a leopard seal is in the area. This will allow for more science to be conducted and less time waiting for leopard seals to leave.

Paul Nicklen, "Deadly Beauty-Leopard Seals," in POYi Archive, Item #45244, http://archive.poy.org/items/show/45244 (accessed April 21, 2025).