This Terrified Diver Prepares To Die As a Predator Approaches, When Suddenly... (My best thread ever

Here's a link to the original story I think. Says this happened a few years back and is recently being reposted and going viral.

news.nationalgeographic.com...

a reply to: anon72

Awesome! I thought it was going to be about the dolphin that defended the diver but, this is cool too!

Cool story
In my experience and also from others Ive spoken with or worked with... this is common. Animals ( predators especially) are like humans.. there is a wide variety of "personality". Humans are pretty well the same in that respect... there are those who will mindlessly kill you, those who will kill you for specific reason, and those who choose not to kill you. Until pretty recently we didnt recognize that in animals there is another 4th kind... the kind that will nurture. Not simply choose not to kill, but actually actively nurture.
Pretty interesting stuff.

thanks for sharing- first time I've encountered the OP's story-
major ROFL'ing going on over here
reminds me of this vid

XD

a reply to: Nikola014

Fascinating story, makes me wonder at the end who's acting as more intelligent ones? Humans or animals? - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

My thoughts exactly! It sure isn't the animals that have messed up this world we live in!

a reply to: anon72


Absolutely Amazing. And such a beautiful creature

originally posted by: 2manyholes
We humans so misunderstand wildlife.

So true, and good example of this misunderstanding is noted in the diver's anecdote where he labels the animal a... "vicious predator."

a reply to: Aliensun


Here is a link to a video of his exlaining the photos in front of an audience - very amusing. Superb photography as well
I cant get the link to play so here it is: www.youtube.com...

a reply to: deltaalphanovember

Fixed it for ya.

Fantastic story.
Although things did not fare so well for the penguins... it shows how little we know about the leopard seal, and how intelligent they really are.
Thanks so much for sharing that.

As a keen scuba diver and amateur photographer I would like to say thanks for posting this. It is trust amazing how we can misjudge wild life I still remember the video of the dolphin asking divers for help as it had a hook and fishing line wrapped around it. Kept bugging the divers and eventually the dolphin sat there while the divers cut the line

a reply to: charlyv

Yes the little pengs don't do so good in this story...... lol

Something always has to die it seems.

A twisted world? Be cool if it didn' t have to be that way but life and death make the world go around.... per se'.

I am glad you are all liking this one as much as I did.

Can't wait to show the wife this one. She won't roll her eyes....

a reply to: anon72

What a sweet creature. If he/she only knew how much we humans are responsible for poisoning his/her habitat. Humans...bah.

This was (and is) a great tale... I've wondered if somewhere on this planet there is a predator who has rethought it's relationship with its "food," not just as in this case where some predator encountered a strange animal (human) that looked vaguely like its own offspring and seemed to need food.

But maybe after the predator encounters a rare 'morsel' that displays similar "nurturing" behavior. Like the leopard seal in this story encountering a playful penguin.

My old cat chasing dog ran into a kitten that was too dumb, or sweet, to recognize the danger and the kitten groomed her face, doing the motoring and falling into the sleepy grooming routine while pressing with its paws like it would on its mom to encourage milk flow.

My dog melted and changed from a feared cat chaser to a steadfast friend and protector of the little kitten. Not that she ever killed and ate cats (that I saw anyway), but she had formerly reveled in chasing them... and after that, not-so-much.

I can imagine a lion in Africa encountering a nice gazelle and starving to death in an existential crisis....

Leopard seals ARE vicious predators...when it comes to their prey. They hunt for food...to survive. Just like all other predators (including, on occasion, man). Often, though, when predators encounter humans (or other potential prey) they choose NOT to kill...often because they have just fed. Predators do not kill for sport (as humans do) or for pleasure, but they kill instinctively to survive. When survival is not in the balance......then sometimes miracles happen.

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: anon72

I found the link interesting. But the diver lost any credibility with me with an embellishment (lie?) as he started the brief tale. He claims that he thought he was going to die when the seal seal took his head and his camera into its mouth. In studying the images, it is obvious that the mouth of the seal could not have accommodated both the diver's head and his rather bulky camera. So, as I said, interesting tale, but evidently not exactly true. Maybe this guy worked on the Nat.Geo stupid mermaid video of some months ago? That was a whopper.

My thought's also. Too bad.

I see this leopard seal and myself have the same view on penguins

I bet the seal could see it's reflection in the camera, I bet it looked smaller too due to the lens etc, so it thought he was a seal pup. Would have messed my trousers if this were me though lol... I think he's pretty stupid/lucky... The thing with any animal is they are unpredictable. A friend of mine had a red setter, it turned on him when he was 16, was so bad he couldn't get it off him, his dad had to. It had been the family pet for years, soft and he loved the dog. Just one day decided to take him on. And believe me the guy was soft as a brush and loved dogs especially, he went to spain one year and lay in the street with the stray dogs.

I have respect for nature, I think doing things like this shows a lack of respect. Sorry... I know I'll be hated for that opinion lol.

originally posted by: Meee32
I have respect for nature, I think doing things like this shows a lack of respect. Sorry... I know I'll be hated for that opinion lol.

Nope, no hate here. I actually understand what you mean... I'm not sure if disrespect is the right word though. People often project human emotions on to animals... no matter what kind. Yes, some species are much smarter than others but projecting like that in the wild can often get you killed. I'm NOT condoning killing random animals or any animal you see; I love animals... and yes, I know, actions by humans show we're not all that hot ourselves.

Pure Nature Specials : Leopard Seals: Lords of the Ice



Well this Photographer was offered a Leopard Seal Catch too

See around the 46.00 Mark