Angry Aberdeen seals

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Robbi

Full Member
Mar 1, 2009
10,226
1,027
northern ireland
never heard of that before, i wonder if there was a seal pup close by ?

worth noting though as my dog swims in the sea and there are seals about.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
I'm generally in terror whenever my dogs get near the water here. They're on the favored food list of gators in freshwater and sharks in saltwater (enough so that some perverted a$$holes illegally use puppies for bait when shark fishing.
 

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
27,803
2,892
62
~Hemel Hempstead~
I'm generally in terror whenever my dogs get near the water here. They're on the favored food list of gators in freshwater and sharks in saltwater (enough so that some perverted a$$holes illegally use puppies for bait when shark fishing.

And it doesn't help you're getting pythons and boas breeding as well in Florida...
 

Geoff Dann

Native
Sep 15, 2010
1,252
31
55
Sussex
www.geoffdann.co.uk
Seals are carnivores, they are "top dog" compared to a dog when in the water, and they will identify dogs as a threat. I'm not remotely surprised about this - seals are known to be aggressive when they feel threatened. Pups or no pups.

Most dangerous of all is the leopard seal, which can lunge out of the water and grab humans. We're just potential food to them.
 
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mousey

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jun 15, 2010
2,210
254
42
NE Scotland
I rememeber watching happy feet and seeing how the seal was depicted in that animation. Definatley a preaditor, no cute and cuddely seal there, going full out to catch that pengin and rip it to shreads - a bit scary for the really young I thought - but that's me just being a wuss.

Also they can be pretty big, something which doesn't really come across seeing them on the telly, but seeing one on the beach or in a harbour is different.
 

SCOMAN

Life Member
Dec 31, 2005
2,583
452
53
Perthshire
They're a wild animal and will attack if they feel threatened, feel really sorry for the poor dog and it's owner though. My own experience with seals is limited, Leopard seals are occasionally seen in South Georgia and they have been known to stalk people on shore. They're not a particularly attractive beast, the head makes it look almost serpentine. Fur seals can act aggressively but can be put off if you make a sharp noise such as clapping. Elephant seals....well just don't let one roll over you. Sealions can be particularly aggressive on shore particularly if there are females with pups around.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
I was taught as a child; "Seals and Swans...........beautiful to look at, but unless you are hunting, keep - well - back."

Sorry for the folks whose pet's been mauled though :sigh: Not something anyone'd really expect.

M
 

Adze

Native
Oct 9, 2009
1,874
0
Cumbria
www.adamhughes.net
I'm generally in terror whenever my dogs get near the water here. They're on the favored food list of gators in freshwater and sharks in saltwater (enough so that some perverted a$$holes illegally use puppies for bait when shark fishing.

Hmm... Snopes says 'probably not' or at most some isolated incidents on Réunion Island.

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/sharkbait.asp

AFAIK neither sharks not 'gators have the intellect to have a favoured food list, if it moves, they'll eat it. Unless they're not hungry of course.
 

Dirty

Forager
Jun 21, 2012
117
0
Cornwall
we got mollested by a bull seal when sea kayaking once, following us, bumping the boats, emerging quickly out and into the water, and trying to seperate one of the boats off. We're used to seals down here when we're sea kayaking and they wiill often pop up to say hello, this wasnt like that. We dont approch local wildlife, but they often come to check us out. When we asked local wildlife experts they said it was unusual, and could have been teritorial or sexual. He was mostly interested in the female in our group who was paddling the smallest boat. (The seal, not the expert) This was september a few years ago.
We havnt had any problems since.
 
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HillBill

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 1, 2008
8,141
88
W. Yorkshire
Wonder how many seals have been attacked by dogs on land? Its possible that the seal had such an encounter at some point.

We had an alsation when i was younger and it was as friendly as they come with everyone. Then one day, a paperboy hit him on the nose with a paper. Since that day he hated paperboys and was very aggressive towards them. He was fine with everyone else still, including the postie.
 

andybysea

Full Member
Oct 15, 2008
2,609
0
South east Scotland.
Have to admit when im snorkelling and there's seal's about im very weary there's some big old boy's in these waters,been seal watching and photgraphing on breeding beaches and the mothers do get very protective but on land they are slow so easy to walk by,in the sea however they are the master,my brother has had playfull experiannces eg theyve grabbed a fin as he's snorkelled by etc but even young ones have a impressive set of teeth and would be able to inflict bad bite.
 

kiltedpict

Native
Feb 25, 2007
1,333
6
51
Banchory
I've never seen aggression from seals when snorkelling, only curiosity. However, they are in their element and would struggle to feel threatened in the water by anything I suspect- on land it's a different story- no quick escape options hence the aggressive attitude. Even seal pups will bite right through a wellie boot without thinking twice and then follows a long course of Tetracycline!!! - not speaking from actual experience (thankfully) but as a volunteer medic for BDMLR, I carry a letter to present at A&E incase I get a bite. Cute but bloody vicious animals.

KP
 

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