Interactions between humans and leopard seals
In July 2003 Kirsty Brown, a marine biologist at Rothera Research Station (West Antarctic Peninsula), was attacked and drowned by a leopard seal ( Hydrurga leptonyx ). As a direct consequence, a study was initiated to analyse interactions between humans and leopard seals over the last thirty years u...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102006000058 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102006000058 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102006000058 2024-03-03T08:38:13+00:00 Interactions between humans and leopard seals Muir, Shona F. Barnes, David K.A. Reid, Keith 2006 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102006000058 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102006000058 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 18, issue 1, page 61-74 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography journal-article 2006 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102006000058 2024-02-08T08:31:01Z In July 2003 Kirsty Brown, a marine biologist at Rothera Research Station (West Antarctic Peninsula), was attacked and drowned by a leopard seal ( Hydrurga leptonyx ). As a direct consequence, a study was initiated to analyse interactions between humans and leopard seals over the last thirty years utilising humanistic and observational data. The response of leopard seals to humans in different situations was considered using a categorical response scale. Location of the leopard seal and human had the greatest influence on the response of the leopard seal. More specifically, interactions occurring at the ice edge, where leopard seals seek out prey, resulted in the highest response from leopard seals. ‘In water’ interactions, examined through SCUBA dive and snorkelling logs, generally described the seal’s behaviour as displaying curiosity and occurred most frequently at the surface. Although leopard seals approached close to observers and displayed behaviour that appeared aggressive, there were no records of interactions where ‘curious’ leopard seals showed subsequent hunting, or attack behaviour. In contrast, in most interactions (only a few occasions) where physical contact was initiated by a seal, in the form of an attack, the seal was not seen prior to the attack. Kirsty’s incident is the only known account of its kind, given that physical contact occurred at the surface of the water, and the seal had not been seen prior to the attack. This suggests that the commonly cited descriptions of leopard seals interacting with humans in the water are a distinctly different behaviour to that displayed in the attack on Kirsty. Although leopard seal behaviour was generally described by divers as curious, the death of Kirsty Brown indicates that leopard seals can display predatory behaviour towards humans. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctic Science Hydrurga leptonyx Leopard Seal Leopard Seals Cambridge University Press Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Rothera ENVELOPE(-68.130,-68.130,-67.568,-67.568) Hydrurga ENVELOPE(-61.626,-61.626,-64.145,-64.145) Rothera Research Station ENVELOPE(-68.129,-68.129,-67.566,-67.566) Antarctic Science 18 1 61 74 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography |
spellingShingle |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography Muir, Shona F. Barnes, David K.A. Reid, Keith Interactions between humans and leopard seals |
topic_facet |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography |
description |
In July 2003 Kirsty Brown, a marine biologist at Rothera Research Station (West Antarctic Peninsula), was attacked and drowned by a leopard seal ( Hydrurga leptonyx ). As a direct consequence, a study was initiated to analyse interactions between humans and leopard seals over the last thirty years utilising humanistic and observational data. The response of leopard seals to humans in different situations was considered using a categorical response scale. Location of the leopard seal and human had the greatest influence on the response of the leopard seal. More specifically, interactions occurring at the ice edge, where leopard seals seek out prey, resulted in the highest response from leopard seals. ‘In water’ interactions, examined through SCUBA dive and snorkelling logs, generally described the seal’s behaviour as displaying curiosity and occurred most frequently at the surface. Although leopard seals approached close to observers and displayed behaviour that appeared aggressive, there were no records of interactions where ‘curious’ leopard seals showed subsequent hunting, or attack behaviour. In contrast, in most interactions (only a few occasions) where physical contact was initiated by a seal, in the form of an attack, the seal was not seen prior to the attack. Kirsty’s incident is the only known account of its kind, given that physical contact occurred at the surface of the water, and the seal had not been seen prior to the attack. This suggests that the commonly cited descriptions of leopard seals interacting with humans in the water are a distinctly different behaviour to that displayed in the attack on Kirsty. Although leopard seal behaviour was generally described by divers as curious, the death of Kirsty Brown indicates that leopard seals can display predatory behaviour towards humans. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Muir, Shona F. Barnes, David K.A. Reid, Keith |
author_facet |
Muir, Shona F. Barnes, David K.A. Reid, Keith |
author_sort |
Muir, Shona F. |
title |
Interactions between humans and leopard seals |
title_short |
Interactions between humans and leopard seals |
title_full |
Interactions between humans and leopard seals |
title_fullStr |
Interactions between humans and leopard seals |
title_full_unstemmed |
Interactions between humans and leopard seals |
title_sort |
interactions between humans and leopard seals |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102006000058 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102006000058 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-68.130,-68.130,-67.568,-67.568) ENVELOPE(-61.626,-61.626,-64.145,-64.145) ENVELOPE(-68.129,-68.129,-67.566,-67.566) |
geographic |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Rothera Hydrurga Rothera Research Station |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Rothera Hydrurga Rothera Research Station |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctic Science Hydrurga leptonyx Leopard Seal Leopard Seals |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctic Science Hydrurga leptonyx Leopard Seal Leopard Seals |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 18, issue 1, page 61-74 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102006000058 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
1 |
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61 |
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74 |
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1792505588293304320 |