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John,
Sorry, I should have reported earlier. The Leopard
Seal vanished overnight, as I suspected it may. Apparently Parks Vic had a quick
look the following morning but couldn't refind it. That's not to say it isn't
still around though.
Apparently young Leopard Seals compete with
Crabeater Seals, Adelie Penguins and Whales for krill during the winter and are
thought to get forced north when resources are thin. Krill is their main
prey, however, their tastes are decidely more
cosmopolitan as one case in Sydney in 1859 demonstrated. A Leopard Seal
that turned up and presumably died of natural causes was cut open to
reveal an adult Platypus inside. A colleague was telling me that he won a
'genius' question in a natural history quiz a couple of years ago, correctly
identifying Leopard Seal as the largest natural predator of the Platypus. So
venturing up rivers in Australia is also not an unprecedented behaviour by
Leopard Seals either.
Regards,
Simon.
_____________________________________________
Simon Mustoe - Director
AES Applied Ecology Solutions Pty Ltd.
59 Joan Avenue
Ferntree
Gully
Melbourne
Victoria 3156
AUSTRALIA
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