National Geographic asked photographer Paul Nicklen to take photos of leopard seals. In case you did not know, they are the most vicious seals of them all. They tend to attack humans, so Paul was not all that excited about the project. However, he knew an opportunity when he saw one and agreed to do this. When it was time for him to get up close and personal with these water mammals, something incredible happened. He got the surprise of a lifetime, and he got to record the moment as well. The first thing you should know is that the sea leopard is a huge creature that can grow up to 10 feet and 1,300 pounds heavy. Only the walrus and elephant seal grow bigger than this pinniped!
The Strangest Thing Happened When National Geographic Photographer Went To Take Photos Of The Dangerous Leopard Seal
A Scary Animal
There have been many accounts of attacks by these huge and aggressive predators. This was the reason Paul Nicklen could not help but feel shaken when he got the request to dive and photograph the animals in the wild. Even an experienced National Geographic photographer like him felt scared to do it!
A Scary Animal
A Pro At This
Even though he has a lot of experience under his belt, he knows that it is always a good idea to be careful when you are with a wild animal. What was his first encounter with the sea mammals like?
A Pro At This
Terrified
“I slipped into the water, terrified of what might happen, and I swam up to this leopard seal,” Paul narrated the encounter he had. “My legs were shaking, I had dry mouth…” What happened next?
Terrified
Threat
“She took my whole head and my camera inside her mouth and did this threat display,” he went on to narrate what happened after this. The photographer said, “But then the most amazing thing happened.”
Threat
Offering
“She went off and got me a live penguin,” he recounted the amazing experience. “And she came up and started to feed me a penguin.” He was in awe. Did this seal just come up to him with an offering?
Offering
Huge
“And right away she dropped the penguin. She came up to me and she opened her mouth,” he said. At the time, he knew that the sea leopard could’ve just ripped his camera away from him if she wanted. “Her head is twice as wide as a grizzly bear’s the head. Just huge.”
Huge
Annoyed
This National Geographic photographer said, “She kept letting these live penguins go and the penguin would shoot past me and she’d look disgusted as she’d go by me. She did this over and over…” It was like she was annoyed at the way Paul let the penguins get away!
Annoyed
Mother
Did it think she was his mom? “She started to bring me weak penguins, then dead penguins, then she showed me how to eat penguins,” he went on. “She would offer me partially consumed penguins.”
Mother
Mouth
“She started to take penguins and actually push them into my camera. I think she thought the camera was my mouth, which is every photographer’s dream. This went on for four days,” Paul Nicklen said.
Mouth
Useless
That was not all, however. Paul shared his theory: “And then I think she realized that I was this useless predator in her ocean, probably going to starve to death and I think she became quite panicked.”
Useless
Unforgettable
It was an experience that he would never forget. “So, here I came to Antarctica, to photograph this potentially vicious animal,” he continued, “to have this predator, this top predator in Antarctica, take care of me, and nurture me, and feed me for four days straight.”
Unforgettable
Opportunities
“It was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had as a National Geographic photographer,” he even said. The magazine has given talented photographers opportunities like this one to take amazing shots. Take a look at how incredible these other wildlife photos are!
Opportunities
Redyk
Taken in the Polish district of Mizerna, this photo shows the yearly cattle drive that follows almost a million animals going back to the farms after spending the summer grazing in the alpine region. Even though the event always comes with a lot of commotion, this driver clearly did not get the memo.
Redyk
Best Friends
It is not a secret that bear cubs have high energy and love to play. These little fellas were seen in Lake Clark National Park in Soldotna, Alaska. If you ask them, they would much rather sit back and munch on some grass. We hope the photographer did not mistake them for teddy bears and bring them home!
Best Friends
Jute Worker
You will probably think that this guy has a spot in the Guinness World Record for the thickest, fluffiest hairdo known to man. Taken in Dhaka, this guy is just holding up a bale of jute. If you don’t believe us, we want you to take a closer look at the photo. Jute is a fibrous material used to make rope.
Jute Worker
Baby Teeth
Without a doubt, it is not easy to raise children. They naturally have short attention spans, so they tend to get bored of games very easily. It is a good thing this mother lion from the Serengeti in Tanzania knew what to do as soon as her cubs got tired of their old chew toy.
Baby Teeth
Unreal
Have you ever considered where old cars go when it is time to retire? Well, this graveyard in California is an option if you have an Audi or a Volkswagen. After an international controversy about inaccurate emissions, they recalled thousands of vehicles before dumping them in the Mojave Desert.
Unreal
Embearassed
This is what happens when an enthusiastic bear sees a salmon run. He lunged too soon and tumbled down a slope! It was a good thing that he managed to get out of it unharmed. He was able to climb back on this ledge and keep fishing after the accident.
Embearassed
The Shepherd From Transylvania
You should know that there are more things to come from Transylvania than just vampires. The photo below shows Nea Dan, a Carpathian shepherd, in the Bran Village of what is now Romania. He has lots of sheep and wool to go around!
The Shepherd From Transylvania
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Here is another photo from Tanzania! There is very little chance of finding white marbles in this spot, but you will see literal hungry hippos instead. It is a good thing that no one needs to risk a cramp after slamming down on little levers.
Hungry, Hungry Hippos
An Overcrowded Train Journey
It looks like there were not enough actual seats on this train headed for Dhaka. The passengers decided to make themselves comfy some other way. If you want to hear the explanation, the passengers wanted to spend Eid-al-Fitr with their family and friends. We bet the view made up for it somewhat.
An Overcrowded Train Journey
Enduring Spirit
The American Bison has always been considered to be a symbol of perseverance and strength. This photo of one in the Montana winter definitely shows us that this is indeed the truth. The incredible creature managed to trek on despite the heavy snowfall and -15 degree weather.
Enduring Spirit
Inquisitive Eyes
This tribal girl was very curious about the object that the strange foreign person was using and holding up right in front of her. We bet she has always wondered about the things that people have outside the village in Indonesia where they live.
Inquisitive Eyes
Halfway Home
Take a look at this photo of an elephant that is half-stained by the river water. We love the symmetry of this shot, which was snapped in Tanzania. The animal had been at the halfway point of the journey back to the herd, which makes it even more perfect.
Halfway Home
Aigerim – The Eagle-Huntress
In Mongolia, eagle hunting is a tradition that has been passed down to young men generation after generation. Aigerim here is a young huntress from the Altai Mountain. She proved to everyone that women can do the job just as well as men can.
Aigerim – The Eagle-Huntress
Snowflakes
Taken at the Blue Pond in Hokkaido, something about the scene here is reminiscent of the forest in A Nightmare Before Christmas. This pond is a manmade body of water that prevents Mt. Tokachi from polluting the river. It had frozen over during the winter when this photo was taken!
Snowflakes
Night Statics
It is already pretty awesome when you get to take a photo of a volcano erupting. However, what makes this photo so special is that the photographer caught the moment the cold winter air led to a static storm around the plume of the lava. If you wanted to know, this photo was taken in Colima, Mexico.
Night Statics
Uhhs & Ahhs
We know that things looked bleak for the little grouper in Anilao, Philippines. However, you do not need to worry because it was able to wriggle itself out of the lizard fish’s mouth not long after the photo was taken. Sadly, it was still unlucky. It was quickly gobbled up by a passing snapper immediately after that.
Uhhs & Ahhs
Flying At The Crossing
You are wrong if you think that this was a portrait by a master artist. No, it is just a snap of a wildebeest herd crossing the Mara River in Tanzania. The sun, shade, and dust give the photo a pretty unnatural look. We are not kidding you. Perhaps you need a longer look at it to convince yourself that it is real.
Flying At The Crossing
Spa Time!
Is there a better way to cool down in the middle of a summer heatwave than this? A dust bath is always the answer, at least for these elephants in Africa. These creatures coat themselves in dirt to stay cool and keep the mosquitos away. Do you want to do this too?
Spa Time!
An Astonishing Chase
This chase happened in Rift Valley, Kenya. Mind you, it actually ended on a happy note. The cheetah stopped preying on this gazelle and began to play with it before letting it go. The fawn then went back to its mom. The photographer added this note: “Even the animals value the life of other animals.”
An Astonishing Chase
Mid Shed
How do you feel about chameleon chips? Unlike their snake cousins, the tiny reptiles in the photo shed their skin piece by piece instead of taking it all off in one go. This photographer wanted the photo to show us what chameleons look like when they are shedding.
Mid Shed