The seal who p-p-p-picked me up a penguin: Incredible moment photographer is taught how to hunt by 70-stone underwater killer

• Canadian photographer befriended a 12 foot predatory seal underwater
• The seal tried to bring him a penguin to eat as a present
• Paul Nicklen said he was 'terrified'

By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 17:16 EST, 23 March 2013 | UPDATED: 17:16 EST, 23 March 2013

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This is the incredible moment when a wildlife photographer came face-to-face with a 70-stone underwater killer... and became her friend.

Paul Nicklen admitted he was terrified by his close encounter with the predatory leopard seal beneath the icy waters of the Antarctic – yet he struck up a strange rapport.

At first, the 12ft seal opened her mouth and tried to engulf Mr Nicklen’s camera – and his head.


Close up: A friendly leopard comes to investigate underwater photographer Paul Nicklen


Say cheese: Photographer Paul Nicklen comes face-to-face with the friendly leopard seal as the seal swims up to the camera

However, the seal soon warmed to the attention and began bringing Mr Nicklen penguins: live, injured, and dead, possibly in an attempt to teach the photographer how to hunt.

‘Just as the penguin doesn’t know it’s cute, the leopard seal doesn’t know it’s kind of big and monstrous,’ he said. ‘This is just the food chain unfolding.’

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Mr Nicklen, from Vancouver, added: ‘This was the most satisfying assignment of my career.

Leopard seals are the most incredible animals I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing.'


For you: The seal brought a penguin as a present

'When you get in the water with a wild animal, you’re essentially giving yourself to that animal because as humans, we’re quite helpless and vulnerable in the water. You’re at the seal’s mercy.

‘When I slipped into the water I was terrified of what might happen.

When I swam up to this leopard seal my legs were shaking and I had a dry mouth. But right away the seal dropped the penguin she was carrying, came up to my camera and opened her mouth.'


Deep links: Photographer Paul Nicklen had made a new friend in the sea


Terrified: Photographer Paul Nicklen, 44 from Vancouver, Canada, got more than he bargained for when he was befriended by a 12ft long predator in the sea

‘Her head was twice the size of a grizzly bear’s – it was huge. She took my whole head and camera in her mouth and did these threat displays.

‘And then the most incredible thing happened – she went off and got me a penguin and came back and tried to feed it to me.

She started to take penguins and push them into my camera, I think she thought my camera was my mouth, which is every photographer’s dream.’

The 44-year-old added: ‘I’ve photographed many species around the world, but this job will stay with me for ever.’