Ukrainian polar explorers captured their encounter with a leopard seal on video
Scientists at the Antarctic research station "Akademik Vernadsky" captured rare footage of an underwater encounter with one of the South Pole’s most dangerous predators.
The animal showed considerable interest in the scientists, approaching them at a critical distance while they were performing technical work underwater.
The unique video was captured by Oleksandr Kurakin and Maksym Martynyuk, researchers at the Institute of Marine Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
The incident occurred while scientific samples were being collected, when the leopard seal suddenly appeared next to the divers to get a closer look at them.
“However, when such a giant stares at you from arm’s length, it still sends shivers down your spine,” Alexander Kurakin shared his impressions.
According to the biologists, the predator observed the people’s movements for a long time, trying to identify the “guests” that were unfamiliar to its environment.
After finishing the filming, the Ukrainian experts decided to return to shore immediately for their own safety.
The leopard seal accompanied the scientists all the way to land, literally escorting them to the water’s edge and the boundary of its territory.
Experts from the National Antarctic Scientific Center attribute this behavior to the high territoriality of these predators.
“Leopard seals are very territorial animals. And if they consider a certain area to be theirs, they may chase strangers away from there,” the agency notes.
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