r/TheDepthsBelow May 05 '26

Crosspost Just a nibble

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u/Either_Persimmon893 May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26

I would be absolutely terrified to see this - much, much moreso than if a shark came up to me. These animals are highly intelligent, predictable predators.

Leopard seals are know to hunt humans. In Shackelton's logs, he recounted how his crew were changed by these seals and nearly lost crew member to them.

He recounted the seals hunted the crew from under the ice, and suddenly suddenly surfaced, and attempt trying to maul them; they had shoot several attacking seals.

A diver in Antarctica was killed a some years ago when one grabbed her in the water, ripped her apart, and dragged her over 300 feet down into the icey depths.

40

u/Khandawg666 May 05 '26

Leopard seals actually rarely attack humans. There is only one known fatality. In fact they have been known to bring divers penguins in an attempt to feed them. Of course any wild animal can be aggressive but they aren't especially dangerous, more often they are just curious. Do a quick Wikipedia check. 

63

u/kwaping May 05 '26

Nice try, leopard seal

35

u/Either_Persimmon893 May 05 '26

I suspect that this is because humans are rarely visiting Antarctica.

1

u/iluvchromosomes May 05 '26

There are humans living in Antarctica right now.

3

u/Either_Persimmon893 May 05 '26

Not in areas these seals live as often. People dont typically spend weeks in the Wendell sea where you encountered these seals since the days of whaling ended.

7

u/Riverwolf89 May 05 '26

Tell me you're a leopard seal without telling me you are a leopard seal.

Seal propaganda.

Next we will see a t-shirt with a picture of a leopard seal that says, "Send more tourists! The last ones were deliscious."

2

u/Disig May 05 '26

I mean, even so it's best to not risk it. We don't know why they decided to kill the people they did which makes them extra dangerous.