Wildlife Image of the Week for the week ending Jan 3rd, 2014: Charles Glatzer - Southern Sea Lion Mauling Gentoo Penguin

[Daniel Cadieux]

Congratulations Chas!

Penguins have an incredibly difficult life, and it starts before birth. The predation of eggs and young chicks by raptors, southern petrels, and more is astounding in numbers. I personally watched over 20 eggs and newly hatched chicks (some still having the shell attached) get taken within a few hours at one rookery. I spent two days concentrating on documenting only predation, and I produced a number of amazing images. However, it was the witnessing the ferocity and ease of a southern sea lion attacking, playing with and dismembering a number of adult gentoo penguins in the surf that definitely put things in perspective.

Southern Sea lion mauling gentoo penguin
1DX, 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4X @ 560mm, 1/6000 @ f/8, ISO 800. Postproduction LR5, CS6, Intensify Pro

[Diane Miller]

Great catch! Congratulations!