Tuesday, May 24, 2016

The VERY odd couple: A young elephant seal pup and a penguin chick look like good friends sharing a joke

  • French Canadian teacher Jean-Francois Hic took these photos on holiday 
  • The Gentoo penguin and the southern elephant seal appear to share a joke 
  • The images were taken on Livingston Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula 
Life can be tough in Antarctica so it helps to have a good pal you can share a joke with. This elephant seal and his little Gentoo penguin friend seem to be getting on like a house on fire in these pictures snapped by Canadian teacher Jean-Francois Hic.

The two animals, both juveniles, seem to be sharing a joke in these images taken by Mr Hic while he was on holiday on Livingston Island, just off the Antarctic Peninsula. Young Gentoo penguins are sometimes eaten by leopard seals but elephant seals are not among their predators, hence the good-natured relationship between this pair. 
LIVINGSTON ISLAND, ANTARCTICA: WITH A KISS this Gentoo penguin can be seen giving this unusual friendship a seal of approval. Cute pictures show the unlikely pairing of two juveniles from different walks of life forming an odd-looking but heart-warming bond.  The southern elephant seal can be seen behind the Gentoo penguin looking like its having a big laugh at a shared joke. Classical French teacher Jean-Francois Hic (46) from Canada was lucky enough to capture this jovial exchange between these creatures from just a few feet away while on holiday on Livingston Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica.
The southern elephant seal can be seen behind the Gentoo penguin looking like its listening to a whispered joke. Classical French teacher Jean-Francois Hic took these snaps while on an Antarctic holiday
In the second image the seal appears to be guffawing at the penguin's wisecrack
In the second image the seal appears to be guffawing at the penguin's wisecrack
The seal opens his mouth and the penguin turns away. Is he embarrassed or just trying to avoid the seal's halitosis?
The seal opens his mouth and the penguin turns away. Is he embarrassed or just trying to avoid the seal's halitosis?
Eventually the penguin turns back to his pal. Relations between seals and penguins have been getting friendlier recently and sometimes getting a bit too steamy. The journal Polar Biology has published several reports in the last few years of fur seals trying to have sex with king penguins in Antarctica 
Eventually the penguin turns back to his pal. Relations between seals and penguins have been getting friendlier recently and sometimes getting a bit too steamy. The journal Polar Biology has published several reports in the last few years of fur seals trying to have sex with king penguins in Antarctica 



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