Not surprisingly - never having been to Australia or Antarctica - I've never seen a leopard seal. I have, however, seen plenty of documentary footage of them (including a cameo in March of the Penguins), enough to know that they are, to put it scientifically, pretty bad ass. Imagine a seal crossed with a crocodile and you get an idea of what we're talking about, one that has been documented taking human life (only one, mind you, but there aren't many people swimming around down there).
Seven years doesn't sound like a terribly long lifespan. Since leopard seals have only been kept rarely and occasionally in captivity (the seal in question was the only in captivity worldwide, at this time), it's likely that there are basic aspects of their biology and husbandry which we just don't understand. Not that the good folks at Taronga went out looking for a leopard seal to display - the late Casey was thrust into their lap, injured and near death, and they did the best they could for her (also meaning she was probably never in the best of health to begin with). She was deemed unfit for release, and the zoo provided a permanent home for her. Hopefully, the experience that they gained with her will be helpful for the rehabilitation or long-term care of any future injured or sickened leopard seals that wash ashore and need zoo or aquarium care.
Condolences to the folks at Taronga. Euthanasia is never an easy decision to make, but sometimes it is the necessary one. They can take pride in the fact that they were able to help such a unique and impressive creature and share it with the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment