In this first episode of SEAson 3, we’re going bananas for leopard seals with Banana Boy #2 himself, Scotty Landes from The Bananas Podcast! In our first flipped-script episode, we dig into the secret lives of these Antarctic predators (literally, we don’t know much about them). Are they science fiction, the stuff of explorer legend, or oddly motherly creatures trying to teach humans to hunt penguins? Sea for yourself!
BIG TAKEAWAY: Did you know sound travels faster in water than in air? Even in the Antarctic, the sounds of large cargo ships zigzagging the ocean cause issues to animals like the leopard seal. The noise of these ships has significantly increased in the last few years with the rise of online shopping. These unregulated sounds can lead to decreased mating, hunting, and communication for an animal we still don’t know much about. Think hard about if you actually need that next-day delivery!
Resources:
💡Researcher Spotlight: Sarah Stachura Kienle @sarahstachurakienle
🔎Deeper Dive Reads: For the littles: ‘Leopard Seals (Life at the Poles)’ by Dr. Rita Santos; For adults: ‘Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage’ by Alfred Lansing
🌊Conservation in Action: Kienle Lab; Leopard Seal Biology @leopardsealbiology
🤙Episode Shoutouts: Leopard Seal noises from @oceanconservationresearch
💰Sustainable Brand We Love: Wild: refillable skin care in cute containers with great scents @wildrefill_us
Art by Fox and Fish Printing @foxandfishprinting
Music by Garrett Gordon and Steve Colwell of High and Dry @highanddryrock and Low Tide @lowtide.hc
