Wildlife Of South Georgia Island

When you step ashore in South Georgia, you realise there is no place on Earth like it. Due to their isolated location in the turbulent Southern Ocean and lack of permanent population, the Antarctic islands (including the South Sandwich Islands) are some of the best places in the world for wildlife watching.

The first time I visited South Georgia, it was like stepping inside a nature documentary where you are right beside some of the highest concentrations of wildlife on Earth in their natural habitat. Here are the highlights:

• Over 30 million breeding pairs of seabirds call South Georgia home.  
• It’s home to over half of the world’s Southern elephant seal population.
• The world’s largest colony of king penguins live here at St Andrews Bay.
• It’s the only place on Earth to see the South Georgia pipit.
• 1500 pairs of Albatross breed on the island.

This remote and rugged island also has surprisingly diverse plant life. It is home to 25 native plant species, including Antarctic pearlwort, scentless mayweed, and water blinks.  

No wonder it’s often called ‘The Serengeti of the Antarctic’. It’s a penguin-lovers paradise, and in addition to Kings, an expedition cruise offers the opportunity to see macaroni, Gentoo, and chinstrap penguins. Emperor penguins are also endemic to Antarctica but are not commonly spotted in and around South Georgia. 

The only human inhabitants on the South Georgia Islands are scientists, government officials, and a few museum staff members who work there for part of the year.

Here’s my guide to wildlife in South Georgia you may see on your expedition.

Penguins

The absence of landmasses for over 900 miles and the island’s location in the Southern Atlantic Ocean make this a prime spot for penguins to live and breed.  

King Penguins

King penguins are the second largest penguin species (second only to the Emperor penguin). They are easy to spot by the distinguishing yellow and orange feathers on their upper chests and splashes of the same colouring on their heads and beaks.

Male and female kings look almost identical, but males are slightly bigger – growing up to approximately 100 cm tall. Their down feathers make king penguins well adapted to the sub-arctic temperatures, and they thrive in considerable colonies in South Georgia, so there’s a very good chance of seeing them. The largest colony can be found at St Andrews Bay, which has 400,000 nesting pairs. It’s quite a sight to behold. 

The breeding season for king penguins is from April to December. This unique breeding pattern allows for the continuous presence of king penguin chicks throughout the year.

Macaroni Penguins

While king penguins are a considerable draw, South Georgia also has a thriving population of 3.5 million macaroni penguins.

Macaronis are the largest crested species, and their unusual name doesn’t come from a pasta dish. It’s actually a reference to an 18th-century slang term for the distinctive yellow feathers on their crest! 

They also have pink feet and spend most of their time in or near water. They’re capable of diving as deep as 100 meters and fast, too—each dive lasts around 2 minutes. Macaronis eat more marine life than any other seabird, hunting and eating millions of tons of krill, crustaceans, and squid each year. 

Unlike other penguins, macaroni hops rather than waddle, and you can spot them hopping around in large colonies in Cooper Bay and Eleshul Bay.

Gentoo Penguins

Gentoo penguins are recognised by their bright orange beak and white stripe across their head. Although much smaller in number than some of the other penguin species, gentoo penguins are actually expanding their population in the Antarctic. Gentoos are the third largest penguin and fastest underwater bird in the world, reaching speeds of up to 22 mph. Their white-bonnet markings recognise them with a prominent tail that sweeps from side to side as they waddle.

Gentoos are also excellent divers and feed on crustaceans, fish and squid. They can be spotted in Cooper Bay, Gold Harbour and Godthul.

Chinstrap Penguins 

Chinstrap penguins take their name from the black bands under their beaks and are the smallest penguin species in the region. South Georgia is home to fewer than 6,000 pairs of chinstrap penguins, so spotting them certainly isn’t guaranteed.  But there’s a decent chance of seeing them at Cooper Bay, the only landing site home to a colony. It’s also a great place to see the other three main penguin species. 

Chinstraps swim up to 50km from shore every day, hunting for fish, krill, shrimp, and squid. They are sociable, gathering in large colonies on the shore during mating season. Thanks to their piercing screech, chinstraps also have the nickname ‘stonebreakers’. 

To learn more please see our article South Georgia Island Penguins.

Whales

The nutrient-rich waters surrounding the island are a haven for marine life, which is part of ongoing conservation efforts after whaling decimated the island’s whale populations.

Orcas

Orcas (also known as Killer Whales) are toothed whales and the largest member of the dolphin family. They can be found in every ocean and are renowned for their sophisticated pack-hunting tactics and communication. 

Males can grow up to almost 10 metres in weight and weigh a whopping 10,000 kilos! Orcas are speedy swimmers, reaching speeds of up to 33 miles per hour and travelling around 100 miles a day. 

They can be spotted in the waters of the South Georgia Islands between November and March, but later in the season offers the best whale-watching opportunity.

Antarctic Minke Whale

With their pointed snouts, these small, slender whales are built to easily cut through the water. Antarctica minkes are also nicknamed ‘little piked whales’ and feed in large numbers—up to 60 at a time.

Despite this, Antarctic minkewhales generally like their own company and can be spotted solo or in small groups of two or three. They can be spotted in Antarctic waters from November to January.

Blue Whales

Blue whales are the largest animal to have ever lived, reaching up to 30 metres in length and weighing 150 tonnes. They only recently returned to South Georgia after facing near extinction due to the devastating effects of whaling, when over 40,000 were wiped out.

A 2020 study recorded their return to the region’s waters, suggesting they are an essential feeding ground for their recovery as a species. 

Humpback Whales

Like blue whales, humpback whales have made a welcome return to the South Georgia Islands in recent years. They were similarly endangered by whaling. 

Large groups of humpbacks have been spotted in the waters around South Georgia since 2013, and the seasonal population is estimated at approximately 20,000.

Humpback whales can measure up to 18 metres. And the humps on their back make them easy to spot from the ships and shores of a South Georgia expedition. 

Southern Fin Whales 

Although smaller in population than other whale species, the Southern Fin Whale has also made a welcome return to the sub-Antarctic waters around South Georgia. It’s the second-largest animal in the world, second only to its close relative, the Blue Whale. 

Southern Fin Whales are more slender, and their streamlined build and fast-swimming speeds of 45mph earned them the nickname ‘the greyhound of the sea’.

Seals and Sea Lions

Southern elephant seals

Visiting South Georgia offers an excellent opportunity to see southern elephant seals. It’s home to over half of the global population, around 400,000. 

The largest of the seal species, they thrive in Antarctic waters and spend their winters near the pack ice.

Males weigh up to six times more than females, and southern elephant seals are capable of diving to depths of 20 metres.

Antarctic fur seals

In addition to southern elephant seals, South Georgia is also home to Antarctic fur seals. In fact, they are the dominant species of the region and home to 95% of the world’s population, an estimated 3.5 million of them. 

This is no small feat, considering they were also hunted to near extinction for their pelts in the early 19th century. Antarctic fur seals gather on the beaches in huge numbers in November, with males vying for breeding territories. 

Leopard Seals

Leopard seals, the third largest seal species, tend to be seen in South Georgia during winter. Unlike other seal species, they are solitary. However, they can also be spotted on the beaches of South Georgia during the summer, though they do not breed there.

Leopard seals can grow up to 3.8 meters and weigh around 590 kg, making them one of the largest seal species.

Sea Birds 

Albatrosses

South Georgia is home to the mighty wandering albatross. Prion Island is known for its nesting wandering albatrosses, providing another opportunity for wildlife viewing.

The wandering albatross has a wingspan of up to 11 feet, making it the largest flying bird in the world.

Seeing these magnificent seabirds in flight as they reach up to 40mph speeds is quite a spectacular sight as you witness the overhead swoop of their grey-black wings. 

Other albatross species in the South Georgia region include the light-mantled, grey-headed, and white-capped albatrosses. 

Prion Island is one of the best places in South Georgia for albatross spotting, although access is restricted from late November to early January due to breeding fur seals.

But if you visit in March, you might be lucky enough to witness newly hatched chicks arriving. Elsehul is another good location for spotting albatrosses in the region. 

Antarctic Prions

South Georgia is a protected breeding site for Antarctic prions, also known as dove prions. These are the largest of the petrels. 

An estimated 25 million pairs of Antarctic Prion breed in South Georgia, so you’ll likely see these beautiful birds flying above with distinctive ‘M’- shaped markings across their backs and wings.

South Georgia Shag

This seabird goes by many names!  It’s also known as the South Georgia Cormorant and is a blue-eyed shag, and is endemic to South Georgia and some other sub-antarctic islands. 

As one of its names suggests, it has blue rings around its eyes, as well as 

black and white plumage and pink legs and feet. Males and females look similar, although male South Georgia shags are slightly bigger. There are many places to spot them across the South Georgia Islands, including Cooper Bay, Gold Harbour, and Grytviken.

Southern Giant Petrel 

South Georgia is a great place to spot petrels, including the southern giant petrel. It’s also home to diving petrels and cape petrels. However, the region is a significant breeding ground for the southern giant petrel, a large bird sometimes confused with an albatross.

Southern giant petrels have large wingspans reaching up to 2.1 metres and are fierce hunters and feeders. They hunt both onshore and out to sea—they’re often spotted close to ships in the hope of swiping discarded fish and other scraps.

South Polar Skua

The largest of the skuas, although slightly more slender in build, the South Polar skuas have no real natural predators. However, their population is relatively small as they don’t breed in large numbers. 

They’re grey in colour and can reach speeds of up to 31 miles per hour. During feeding, they travel in large, noisy flocks of up to 100.

South Polar skuas are very territorial birds. They fight off competition to pick off vulnerable penguin eggs and chicks and will attack anything or anyone who gets too close. 

But, of course, we would always recommend keeping a safe and respectful distance from all wildlife.

Land birds 

South Georgia Pipits

One of the most remarkable things about South Georgia’s wildlife is that it includes several unique species, including the endemic South Georgia pipit. 

These tiny birds are roughly the same size as a sparrow and are one of the region’s only land birds. They can be seen and heard on the beaches of Prion Island, building their nests in the tussock grass. 

The South Georgia pipit is the southernmost songbird in the world and endemic to the island.

South Georgia Pintail

Another bird species endemic to the South Georgia region is the Georgia pintail. It’s a duck that’s mottled-brown in appearance, and there are currently around 1000 pairs. 

The South Georgia pintail population was depleted due to a combination of commercial whaling and rats. 

Fortunately, neither is a threat to the species anymore, and they can be found at various locations around South Georgia, including Grytviken and Cooper Bay. 

Conservation and Threats

From explorers to scientists and researchers, and more recently, tourists – the remote wilderness of South Georgia has long fascinated humans. Ernest Shackleton is buried on the islands, and 

South Georgia Island is home to seven of the thirty species listed under the Agreement of the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels (ACAP.) Many species have been threatened by decades of hunting and a persistent rodent problem, but hunting has been banned since the mid-1960s, and the island has been free from mice and rats since the completion of the world’s largest eradication project in 2018. This was done as part of the South Georgia Heritage Trust’s habitat restoration work.

South Georgia’s ecosystem is recovering well, but like all polar regions, it faces the constant threat of climate change. It has an extensive maritime protection zone extending 200 nautical miles, and strict limits on krill fishing exist. It is one of the most strictly monitored in the world.

Through careful management, albatross mortality due to long-line fishing in South Georgia’s waters has been virtually eliminated. Krill fishing quotas around South Georgia are deliberately low to protect dependent species.

In 2022, the Government of South Georgia designated South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands Protected Areas for better conservation.

Measures to prevent the introduction of invasive species enforce strict biosecurity measures in South Georgia. Conservation strategies in South Georgia include monitoring wildlife populations to track health and behaviour.

Tips for wildlife watching on South Georgia Island 

Having been lucky enough to have visited South Georgia, here are my top wildlife viewing tips from my experience

• Join a tour with a focus on wildlife watching (at Polar Escapes, we will recommend the best tours)
• Be patient and let wildlife come to you.
• Follow the strict guidelines, such as keeping a distance from wildlife and giving wildlife the right of way. Always listen to instructions set out by the guide team. Tourists are encouraged to maintain a distance of 5m from wildlife at all times in South Georgia.
• Follow biosecurity protocol, and make sure your boots and pockets are free of invasive species.
• Bring a good pair of binoculars. If you are a photographer, bring a camera with a telephoto lens to shoot wildlife close up.
• Take time to appreciate your surroundings. You don’t get to visit such a beautiful place every day.

When is the best time to visit South Georgia Island?

The best time to visit South Georgia for wildlife tours is from October to March. Expedition cruises to South Georgia operate between November and March during the austral spring and summer. Outside of this season, the weather is too extreme to operate.  

Each month in South Georgia offers a different wildlife-watching experience. November and March are the least crowded months to visit.

December and January are the Antarctic high season and are the most popular months to visit, with the most ships in the area. Landing on some beaches is restricted due to the vast amounts of male fur seals.

But, as with any wildlife trip, consider what you’re most interested in seeing from this guide. Due to their breeding cycle, you should be lucky enough to see king penguins at any point. 

If you’re keen to see many of the island’s seabirds, especially albatrosses, please note that Prion Island is strictly controlled and closed between 20 November and 7 January to coincide with the fur seal breeding season.

Where are the best places to see South Georgia’s Wildlife?

The good news is that all the landing sites in South Georgia offer excellent wildlife-watching opportunities. Here are my top places

Saint Andrews Bay – Home to a colony of 400,000 breeding pairs of King penguins.

Salisbury Plain – An extensive beach and plain home to the largest elephant seal population on the island and a king penguin colony.

Cooper Bay – An excellent place to see Macaroni penguins nesting in the tussock grass.

Gold Harbour – A natural harbour where you can see four penguin species in one place.

Grytviken, the former whaling station, has fur seals and penguins. You can also visit Shackleton’s grave. 

How to get to South Georgia 

There’s only one way on and off this island in the middle of an ocean – by expedition ship!

Often, visitors to South Georgia sail on an expedition cruise that also visits the Antarctic Peninsula and the Falkland Islands on the same itinerary. Each year, a select number of South Georgia-only cruises spend more time exploring the island. Zodiac Cruises and an excellent team of naturalists and guides make shore landings on south Georgia’s beaches.

Polar Escapes offers the largest selection of South Georgia Cruises and tours.

Our team are experts in South Georgia, having visited many times. We are here to help you plan your trip and answer any questions you have. Why not contact us as a next step?