Video Of The Week - Elephant Seals Need Hugs Too!

When Canadian resident Charlene Fritz joined an expedition to Snow Hill Island in the Antarctic Peninsula she was expecting to see many exotic animals. What she did not plan on was receiving a cuddle from one of them!

But that is exactly what happened to this lucky Saskatchewan resident thanks to a seal pup that took a fancy to her. Fritz said the two-month-old that weighed a hefty 200 lbs just snuggled up and gazed at her with its beautiful soulful eyes. Best of all, it's breath was not fishy! That's because the baby seal was still living off its stored food reserves and had yet to venture out into the ocean to hunt for food.

Fritz, who recently released the photos and video from this 2011 encounter, says that she really wanted to hug the baby who was soft and cuddly and felt like a "big dough ball." However, she had been given strict instructions not to approach or touch it anytime by the expedition leaders. That's because any unexpected action could startle the seal pup and cause it to become aggressive.

Experts say that while baby seals are relatively harmless, a similar encounter with fully-grown elephant seals would not be as much fun. The giant creatures that can weigh as much as two tons are known to have nasty tempers especially during mating season when they are protecting females.

Resources: dailymail.co.uk, telegraph.co.uk