Woman is on kayak. Then she gets approached by something in the water : ‘Just look up what happened to Kirsty Brown’


People tend to think of seals and sea lions as large, cuddly, and friendly ocean creatures that enjoy interacting with humans.

And they often do. In a heartwarming video posted by The Dodo, for example, a sea lion forms a close bond with a dog and keeps coming back to visit his friend.

Seals also frequently step out of the water on popular beaches, eager to interact with the humans and lie down to catch some rays.

However, according to fish-related content creator @fishtokdaily, there are some seals you never want to get close to.

In a viral video that got over 2.8 million views, he reacts to a clip of a tourist in a kayak coming into contact with a leopard seal. In it, he explains how dangerous it could get.

What Makes a Leopard Seal So Dangerous?

In the stitched video by the tourist, a woman spots a leopard seal and starts speaking to it. “Hello, my friend,” she says. “We don’t want to bother you.”

The leopard seal sticks its head out of the water and exhales sharply.

“If I was in a kayak and a leopard seal was coming up to me, I would not feel comfortable or safe at all,” @fishtokdaily says. “I mean, leopard seals are basically the apex predator of the Antarctic coastline.”

He explains that adult leopard seals can reach over 11 feet long and weigh over 1,000 pounds. “I mean, these are insane predators,” he says. “And they have extremely long teeth… and powerful jaws that can easily kill penguins and even other seals.”

The creator explains that, unlike many other seals, which are opportunistic feeders, leopard seals “are actively hunting warm-blooded prey like penguins and seal pups.”

“You may have seen a few videos of them kind of just wobbling around on the ice,” he continues. “But in the water, these are insanely agile predators, and they’re extremely dangerous.”

The TikToker says that leopard seals are also one of the few seal species that show aggression toward humans.

“Some underwater photographers have even reported them swimming underneath them silently or just appearing out of nowhere from dark water, which sounds absolutely terrifying,” he continues.

Have Leopard Seals Ever Attacked a Human?

Leopard seals are carnivorous Antarctic mammals known as the only seal species to actively prey on other seals. Their diet, however, primarily consists of crustaceans, squid, octopuses, penguins, and other seabirds.

According to the Natural History Museum, humans and leopard seals have interacted before, and it doesn’t always go well.

In an early 1900s expedition, the publication notes, a leopard seal aggressively chased an explorer on the ice before it was shot by another member of the expedition party.

In another case, a Scottish explorer was nearly dragged off the ice and into the water by a leopard seal until the explorer’s companions started kicking its head, causing it to let go.

The most recent incident that ended in a tragic death happened in 2003, when a leopard seal dragged researcher Kirsty Brown deep underwater. A rescue team was able to pull her out, but they ultimately weren’t able to resuscitate her.

In general, authorities recommend that humans stay away from leopard seals, maintaining a distance of at least 65 feet, and advise not to touch, feed, or interact with the seal in any way.

Commenters Find the Creature Terrifying

“I felt safer when I thought it was a shark,” one user wrote.

“Not friendly! NOT FRIENDLY!!” another exclaimed.

“Aww, it’s a little seal- OH GOD THATS A LEOPARD SEAL,” said a third.

@fishtokdaily I would be bookin it out of there? #leopard #seal #antarctica #arctic #dangerous ♬ original sound – FishTokDaily

The Mary Sue has reached out to @fishtokdaily via TikTok messages for comment.

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