Final report into the Interactions between humans and leopard seals now available

Just returned from yet another Antarctic tourist diving expedition, I received an email from Keith Reid of the BAS and Shona Muir of the Kirsty Margot Brown Fund, announcing the final report on investigations of human-leopard seal interactions. This is a quote of the email text:

"Following the tragic death of Kirsty Brown, who was attacked and drowned by a leopard seal in July 2003 a one-year study, sponsored by the Kirsty Brown Fund and hosted at British Antarctic Survey, was set up to review the available information on humans and leopard seals in the Antarctic. Data on interactions between humans and leopard seals, from over 180 questionnaires and interviews, were analysed to provide the information required for any assessment of the risks posed by leopard seals to people working in the Antarctic. The results have been published in the journal Antarctic Science (Antarctic Science 18 (1), 61*74, March 2006) and the full report is available to download from the BAS website at this site."

The report includes reported data of all the nations involved in Antarctic aquatic research as well as nature photographers, film makers and tourist dive operators. I had been asked along with several others to participate in the online questionnaire data survey on behalf of the German Antarctic scientific diving activities, while well-known underwater photographer Göran Ehlmé, who is also in charge of Oceanwide Expeditions' polar diving activities, had been extensively contacted as advisor for the authors of this publication.

The report also decribes in detail the incident resulting in Kirsty Margot Brown's death and reviews it in comparison with other known leopard seal behaviour and seal-human interaction pattern. The appendix contains the dive policies of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the United States Antarctic Programme (USAP), and the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) for reference.

This is a most useful compilation of leopard seal interaction reports as well as a review of risk avoidance/evasion strategies.

It is also well in agreement with the position of Antarctic tourist dive expedition operators and their dive guides, who will certainly use this publication as reference for future staff and customer preparation and briefings.

BTW: In the near future, some spectacular shots by underwater phtographer Andre Crone of a leopard seal handling a freshly killed gentoo penguin near Jougla Point, Goudier Island (near Port Lockroy base), can be expected in relevant publications.