In Antarctica, every day is an Olympic one. These emperor penguins are
near the end of a two-week fishing marathon, bringing food for their hungry
chicks waiting miles away. But a challenger threatens the entire competition.
A leopard seal waits at the shoreline. It’s hungry, too. Some emperors
make the leap onto shore before it can reach them. But the leopard seal
is patient; it knows it controls the playing field. Superb athletes, they
sense the leopard seal and reverse direction in a split second. Seeing
an opening, more and more penguins stream up and out onto the ice. The
momentum seems to turn the way of the penguins. Dozens make the leap to
the safety of land...until the leopard seals changes the rules of the game.
The penguins scramble to get away. Out of the water, both the seal and
the penguins lose their speed and agility; only desperation remains. The
leopard seal snares a penguin. For the seal, victory seems certain. But
the game is not over yet. Penguins will go limp rather than struggle. If
the leopard seal loses its grip, the penguin will make a break for it.
This one is gone like a shot! It rejoins its teammates safely waiting at
a distance. The leopard seal, though, doesn’t give up. It still has good
field position. And now, the element of surprise. The leopard seal won’t
lose its grip this time, but takes its prize into the sea. For all but
one, these competitors have won the fight to see another day.