Antarctic seals are generally
completely unafraid of man despite the inglorious days of sealing
when hundreds of thousands of them were killed for their fur and/or
blubber.
These days the recommendation is
to stay considerably further away than this, the small weaned pup
in the foreground has just his very close-fitting personal space
invaded is isn't that happy - he's not actually that bothered either
to be honest. The larger and older seals nearby seem completely
unflustered.
The only time these seals get very
upset is if you approach them walking upright and normally. When
they threaten each other, they rear upwards to get as much height
as they can and so seem to assume that an upright figure is a threat.
If you get down low as this guy has done, they are pretty much unfrazzled,
though by that time you may be uncomfortably close to a ton or more
of smelly, sharp-toothed animated blubber.
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