South Georgia Island photos

Macaroni penguin, amid tall tussock grass, Cooper Bay, South Georgia Island.
Species: Macaroni penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus
Location: Cooper Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24696  

Drygalski Fjord, packed with brash ice which has broken away from Risting Glacier at the end of the narrow fjord.
Location: Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24697  

Antarctic fur seals, on tussock grass slopes near Grytviken.
Species: Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
Location: Grytviken, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24414  

Juvenile 'oakum boy' penguin begs for food, which the adult will regurgitate from its stomach after foraging at sea. This scene plays out thousands of times each hour amid the vast king penguin colony at Salisbury Plain, where over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest and rear their chicks.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24432  

Grassy windy highlands and rocks, overlooking alluvial floodplain formed by glacier runoff near Stromness Bay.
Location: Stromness Harbour, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24584  

Reindeer on South Georgia Island. Reindeer (known as caribou when wild) were introduced to South Georgia Island by Norway in the early 20th Century. There are now two distinct herds which are permanently separated by glaciers.
Species: Reindeer, Rangifer tarandus
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24592  

Fortuna Bay, with icebreaker M/V Polar Star at anchor.
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24596  

M/V Polar Star approaches Jenkins Glacier (left), Risting Glacier (center) and a third glacier (right) at the end of Drygalski Fjord.
Location: Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24699  

Gentoo penguin walking through tall grass.
Species: Gentoo penguin, Pygoscelis papua
Location: Godthul, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24700  

Antarctic fur seal colony, on a sand beach alongside Right Whale Bay, with the mountains of South Georgia Island in the background, sunset.
Species: Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
Location: Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24315  

South Georgia Island coastline, showing the island's characteristic rugged topography. 56% of the island is covered by 161 glaciers, which have created numerous large bays and inlets that provide excellent habitat for marine animals and seabirds. Mountains meet the sea in steep-sided seacliffs covered with sparse vegetation. The highest point on South Georgia Island is Mt. Paget at 2,915m.
Location: South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24322  

King penguin colony, Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest on South Georgia Island each summer.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24344  

King penguin colony and the Bay of Isles on the northern coast of South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 nesting pairs of king penguins reside here. Dark patches in the colony are groups of juveniles with fluffy brown plumage. The icebreaker M/V Polar Star lies at anchor.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24401  

King penguin colony and the Bay of Isles on the northern coast of South Georgia Island. Over 100,000 nesting pairs of king penguins reside here. Dark patches in the colony are groups of juveniles with fluffy brown plumage. The icebreaker M/V Polar Star lies at anchor.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24402  

Hercules Bay, with icebreaker M/V Polar Star at anchor, below the steep mountains of South Georgia Island.
Location: Hercules Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24419  

King penguins gather in a steam to molt, below a waterfall on a cobblestone beach at Hercules Bay.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Hercules Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24557  

Brown skua in grass.
Species: Brown skua, Stercorarius antarctica
Location: Stromness Harbour, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24585  

Glacial melt waters, runoff, flows across an alluvial flood plain between mountains, on its way to Stromness Bay.
Location: Stromness Harbour, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24587  

Shackleton Falls, named for explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, formed from glacial meltwaters, near Stromness Bay.
Location: Stromness Harbour, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24588  

Shale covered rocky slope, near the pass over South Georgia Island between Fortuna Bay and Stromness Bay.
Location: South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24590  

A hiker ascends the slopes of South Georgia Island above Fortuna Bay.
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24591  

Northern giant petrel scavenging a fur seal carcass. Giant petrels will often feed on carrion, defending it in a territorial manner from other petrels and carrion feeders.
Species: Northern giant petrel, Macronectes halli
Location: Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 23683  

Wandering albatross in flight, over the open sea. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear.
Species: Wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans
Location: Southern Ocean
Image ID: 24087  

Antarctic fur seal, juveniles or females.
Species: Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
Location: Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24319  

Antarctic fur seal carcass, lying on pebble beach. Dead fur seals are quickly scavenged by giant petrels, leaving the pelt and skeleton of the dead fur seal.
Species: Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
Location: Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24327  

Adult male bull Antarctic fur seal, amid his harem of females and juvenile fur seals.
Species: Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
Location: Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24332  

Wandering albatross, on nest and the Prion Island colony. The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the wingspan between, up to 12' from wingtip to wingtip. It can soar on the open ocean for hours at a time, riding the updrafts from individual swells, with a glide ratio of 22 units of distance for every unit of drop. The wandering albatross can live up to 23 years. They hunt at night on the open ocean for cephalopods, small fish, and crustaceans. The survival of the species is at risk due to mortality from long-line fishing gear.
Species: Wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans
Location: Prion Island, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24428  

King penguin, mated pair courting, displaying courtship behavior including mutual preening.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24438  

King penguin colony. Over 100,000 pairs of king penguins nest at Salisbury Plain, laying eggs in December and February, then alternating roles between foraging for food and caring for the egg or chick.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24444