VIDEO

VIDEO

Face-to-Face with a Leopard Seal

Face-to-Face with a Leopard Seal

Photojournalist Paul Nicklen receives an unexpected gift from this major predator.

Grades

5 - 12+

Subjects

Earth Science, Oceanography, Geography, Photography

Program
NG Live

This video was filmed on November 15, 2012, as part of the National Geographic Live! Lecture series at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., United States.

Introduction

National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen uses his camera to reveal the graceful and feared leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), a species threatened by climate change. "I call myself an interpreter and a translator," Nicklen says. "I translate what the scientists are telling me. If we lose ice, we stand to lose an entire ecosystem. I hope we can realize through my photography how interconnected these species are to ice. It just takes one image to get someone's attention."

Whether he is ice diving among leopard seals in Antarctica, covering hundreds of miles of terrain in minus 40°C (minus 40°F) temperatures, or mastering aerial shots from his ultralight plane, Paul Nicklen has specialized in photographing polar regions since 1995.

Outline

  • A species with a bad reputation: why leopard seals are perceived as vicious (start-1:40 min.)

  • Getting in the water with a 12-foot seal (1:41-3:38 min.)

  • An amazing experience: a leopard seal tries to feed Nicklen a penguin (3:39-6:57 min.)

Strategies for Using Video in a Variety of Learning Environments

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Page Producers
Nina Page, National Geographic Society
Samantha Zuhlke, National Geographic Society
other
Last Updated

October 19, 2023

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