Scientists first thought the seal was trying to kill the penguin.

According to the BBC, South African-based scientists were recently stunned to stumble upon an 220 pound Antarctic fur seal trying to have sex with a 30 pound king penguin. The incident was a frightening 45 minutes long and was caught on camera (fortunately we can’t locate the video). Scientists who witnessed the incident claim that they first thought the seal was killing the penguin, before realizing it was a highly unusual case of mammal mating behavior. The sexually frustrated seal found the small penguin an easy target. More details than anyone really wants to know below:

Scientists don’t really know whether the penguin was sexually frustrated, inexperienced, or if the act was predatory or playful. But here’s how it went down:

The 100kg seal first subdued the 15kg penguin by lying on it.

The penguin flapped its flippers and attempted to stand and escape – but to no avail.

The seal then alternated between resting on the penguin, and thrusting its pelvis, trying to insert itself, unsuccessfully.

After 45 minutes the seal gave up, swam into the water and then completely ignored the bird it had just assaulted, the scientists report.

Marion Island, where the scene occurred, is actually the only place in the world where Antarctic fur seals will hunt king penguins on land. That’s why when scientists stumbled upon the young and healthy seal trying to copulate with an adult king penguin they were astonished. They believe that possibly the male seal was too young for female seals, and “in a state of sexual excitement,” looked elsewhere. Animal rape and sexual coercion is apparently fairly common in the animal kingdom.

Nico de Bruyn, of the Mammal Research Institute at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, stated that “it was most certainly a once-off and has never previously or since been recorded anywhere in the world to our knowledge.” We would hope not!

Poor penguin! We love penguins, and now don’t like seals. At least young sexually frustrated male seals trying to violate penguins! Fortunately the penguin was physically unharmed, but imagine the emotional trauma!

[BBC]

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