Quick Take
- Adélie penguins have a split-second rule for surviving leopard seal encounters, and the timing of it is everything. See the survival timing →
- Jumping out of the water to escape a predator can actually put penguins in more danger, but there is a surprising twist to this.
- Leopard seals are built to win, yet Adélie penguins keep surviving encounters with them. Meet the Adélie penguin →
- There's a specific moment in every seal encounter when penguins have the advantage, and most people would never guess when that moment is. Watch the escape strategy →
Wild animals often operate on instincts to stay safe, but these behaviors can look pretty silly at times. A video recently surfaced showing some funny penguin activity. The birds hop onto an iceberg, before quickly realizing there’s a seal occupying the chunk of ice and immediately dipping back into the water. This video was posted on Instagram by @bilim_up.
If they are not in the water hunting for food, Adélie penguins spend time resting on the ice.
©iStock.com/axily
How to Avoid Predators 101
The video above is a humorous look at how penguins avoid predators. A group of Adélie penguins is seen jumping onto an iceberg that a leopard seal is already resting on. Leopard seals are one of Antarctica’s most formidable predators — large, muscular animals that can reach almost 12 feet long and weigh up to around 600 pounds or more, with large females sometimes exceeding 1,000 pounds. Leopard seals have massive jaws and powerful teeth meant for capturing prey, including penguins.
Adélie penguins are some of the most recognizable animals in Antarctica and are widespread throughout the continent. They have black heads and backs with a white belly and white rings around their eyes. Adélie penguins spend much of their time in the ocean feeding on krill and fish, but they also rest on the ice. However, as seen in the video above, they may have chance encounters with predators, sending them right back into the ocean.
As they emerge from the water, they instantly notice the leopard seal. Since these seals are one of their natural predators, they know to avoid them. This is a perfect example of predator recognition. Since leopard seals are much better at hunting in the water, the penguins have a chance to escape before they are in any real danger. Fortunately for the penguins, the seal doesn’t seem to be actively hunting at the moment, giving them the chance to escape to safety.
