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Eduardo del Álamo's Image
A gentoo penguin flees for its life as a leopard seal bursts out of the water. Eduardo was expecting it. He had noticed the penguin resting on a fragment of broken ice and watched the seal swim back and forth. ‘Moments later, the seal flew out of the water, mouth open,’ he says.
Leopard seals are formidable predators. Their slender bodies are built for speed and their wide jaws bear long canine teeth. They hunt almost anything, changing their diet in response to availability and the time of year. Penguins are a regular meal but they also enjoy krill, fish, squid and the pups of other seal species.
Behind the lens
Eduardo del Álamo
Spain
Eduardo has been a wildlife photographer since 2009. His travel agency specialises in photo safaris in southern and eastern Africa and in remote places such as Antarctica and the North Pole. He supports conservation projects in different places in Africa and is especially passionate about whales, elephants, big cats, birds, wild dogs and primates.
Image details
- Canon EOS 7D Mark II
- 100–400mm f4.5–5.6 lens at 110mm
- 1/2500 sec at f10 • ISO 1000
- Cuverville Island, Antarctica
Copyright in WPY competition photographs remains the property of the respective photographers. You may not copy, share, reproduce or republish the photographs except as expressly permitted by copyright law. For media image usage enquiries, please contact us.
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