This morning as we approached Elephant Island we could see fresh snow on the mountain sides. This island is the furthest north of the islands that lie off the Antarctic Peninsula and thus closest to the South American continent. Although cold and blustery we had plans to board our Zodiacs and tour the area where Ernest Shackelton and his men finally touched shore in April of 1916. The story of their survival is well told in several books and we wanted a closer look at the site where they anxiously awaited rescue.
Some of us were afforded an unexpected and close encounter between predator and prey. The leopard seal is very different in appearance from other seals. It does have spots like the name suggests but the long neck and huge mouth give it a reptilian look. The leopard seal is the only species of Antarctic seals that regularly eats warm-blooded creatures. Its primary diet is penguins and like many islands in this region there seems a bountiful supply on Elephant Island. We witnessed the leopard seal's taking a hapless chinstrap in its jaws. At first the penguin is tossed into the air as if in play but soon the seal is thrashing the water with the now dead animal. It seemed unconcerned with the close proximity of our Zodiacs. The leopard seal actually skins the penguin by holding it in its jaws while the powerful neck muscles flail the bird at the surface of the water, as can be seen in this photo.
We motored back to the Caledonian Star as snow blew around us. We'd just seen a top predator taking its meal, an unexpected encounter that added an extraordinary dimension to our Zodiac cruise at this historic site.
