These Exhausted Penguins Are Unable To Escape These Seals

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Animals who are solitary creatures often know the eminent danger they are in by various predators because they are alone. Animals that form groups often mistake their numbers for complete safety. However, they are not safe from predators just because they are in groups. In fact, herds are easy to search out, and so they are easily exposed. Don’t miss the video at the top where penguins are being hunted by seals! 

Penguins Make A Long Journey

The YouTube video posted at the beginning of the blog post takes us to Antarctica. The Jungle Journey YouTube page shared this video and added their educational narration to it. They regularly post content to their 328,000 subscribers of animals such as snakes, monkeys, elephants, and birds. 

Seals Hunting Penguins

As the video above starts out, we see a long trail of penguins that have gathered together. They form groups known as colonies. The narrator shares that they have traveled up to two miles to reach the shoreline. And that they were wiped out by the time they arrived. While two miles may seem like a lot for a little penguin to walk, it is nothing compared to how long they can travel.

Penguins can often travel up to 60 miles across the sea to get where they need to be to breed.  According to the City of Albuquerque, “Penguin feet are also adapted to help the birds steer while swimming. They use their feet like rudders, angling them to help control direction.” So, we can imagine how exhausting walking (not swimming) two miles had to be for them.

As the hundreds of penguins gather at the shore, they see that they are met by a group of hungry leopard seals that knew sooner or later that food would come by. The seals don’t wait any longer, and they flop up on land to grab whatever they can get their teeth into.

What Do Leopard Seals Eat?

Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are massive mammals that can weigh anywhere from 440 to 1,300 pounds. As carnivores, these animals like to feast on a variety of animals such as fish, squid, shellfish, sea birds, and penguins, one of their favorite dishes. 

The Department of Conservation states, “Leopard seals frequent ice-floes and waters adjacent to Adelie penguin rookeries and are adept at catching penguins after underwater pursuits or as they fall back into the water after missing their footing on the ice.” 

As we can see from the above example, leopard seals are often viewed as opportunistic eaters. Which means that they will eat whatever they can when it comes by. And if a penguin so happens to slip into the water, that is the perfect opportunity to grab up and eat. Or if, on the other hand, a whole colony happens to walk by, that’s a wonderful chance to leap out of the water and grab them as they waddle by.