South Georgia Island photos

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: 24448  

King penguins at Salisbury Plain. Silver and black penguins are adults, while brown penguins are 'oakum boys', juveniles named for their distinctive fluffy plumage that will soon molt and taken on adult coloration.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24457  

Shackleton Memorial Cross, with mountains of South Georgia Island.
Location: Grytviken, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24466  

King penguin, showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24600  

Macaroni penguin, amid tall tussock grass, Cooper Bay, South Georgia Island.
Species: Macaroni penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus
Location: Cooper Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24683  

M/V Polar Star at anchor in a snowstorm.
Location: Cooper Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24712  

Drygalski Fjord, packed with brash ice which has broken away from the glacier at the end of the narrow fjord.
Location: Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24715  

Drygalski Fjord, packed with brash ice which has broken away from the glacier at the end of the narrow fjord.
Location: Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24716  

Icebreaker M/V Polar Star approaches Elsehul harbor on South Georgia Island.
Location: South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24323  

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: 24353  

The South Georgia Pintail duck, also known as the South Georgian Teal, is endemic to South Georgia Island and is a vagrant to the South Sandwich Islands. The South Georgia Pintail feeds on a variety of marine and freshwater vegetation, including algae, as well as upon invertebrates.
Species: South georgia pintail, Anas georgica georgica
Location: Grytviken, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24462  

King penguins, showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Grytviken, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24463  

Gentoo penguin stealing nesting material, moving it from one nest to another.
Species: Gentoo penguin, Pygoscelis papua
Location: Godthul, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24703  

Gentoo penguins, calling, heads raised.
Species: Gentoo penguin, Pygoscelis papua
Location: Godthul, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24720  

Gentoo penguin, walking through tall grass, snow falling.
Species: Gentoo penguin, Pygoscelis papua
Location: Godthul, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24722  

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: 24440  

Zodiac inflatable skiff boat, with mountains of South Georgia Island, on the Bay of Isles.
Location: Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24461  

Grytviken whale station, abandoned storage tanks.
Location: Grytviken, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24464  

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: 24169  

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: 24170  

South Georgia Island, spire and sunset clouds, 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: Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24328  

South Georgia shag, or Imperial shag, a type of cormorant, in flight alongside South Georgia Island.
Species: South georgia shag, Leucocarbo atriceps georgianus, Phalacrocorax atriceps georgianus
Location: South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24341  

Northern giant petrel on pebble beach.
Species: Northern giant petrel, Macronectes halli
Location: Right Whale Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24348  

Antarctic fur seal.
Species: Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
Location: Hercules Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24570  

An antarctic fur seal pup plays in the water.
Species: Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24606  

King penguin, showing ornate and distinctive neck, breast and head plumage and orange beak.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24620  

King penguin, solitary, standing.
Species: King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24621  

Southern elephant seal, juvenile. The southern elephant seal is the largest pinniped, and the largest member of order Carnivora, ever to have existed. It gets its name from the large proboscis (nose) it has when it has grown to adulthood.
Species: Southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24623  

Antarctic fur seal, adult male (bull), showing distinctive pointed snout and long whiskers that are typical of many fur seal species.
Species: Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24624  

Antarctic fur seal, adult male (bull), showing distinctive pointed snout and long whiskers that are typical of many fur seal species.
Species: Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
Location: Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Island
Image ID: 24632