Sustained Monitoring of Whales at South Georgia

What the project does

This project is creating a long-term framework for monitoring whale numbers and behaviour.

It supports the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands who manage the Marine Protected Area.

Each summer, more than 30,000 whales visit South Georgia. This makes it the UK’s most important hotspot for recovering whale populations, including critically endangered Antarctic blue whales.

Why this matters

Whales are recovering after centuries of exploitation, but their return brings new management challenges.

Sustained monitoring will help protect these species while ensuring that human activity, including tourism and fishing, can coexist with thriving whale populations.

Most whales seen are humpbacks, now the most common species feeding in the area. However, Antarctic blue and southern right whales are still far from recovery, though their numbers are increasing. 

First South Georgia inter-island match for a Southern Right Whale (Credit: George Day & Nico Lewin)

Because whales were once so rare, they were not a major focus of conservation planning until recently.

Rapid population growth now means they must be considered in future management of the region.

Science objectives 

• Produce annual estimates of summer whale density along the north coast.
• Use passive acoustic monitoring in Cumberland Bay to track whale presence, vessel traffic, underwater noise and acoustic masking year-round.
• Develop risk-reduction protocols on ship speeds and noise to protect whale habitats, leading to a South Georgia Baleen Whale Action Plan.
• Identify environmental drivers of whale occurrence to inform sustainable krill fishery management.
• Improve understanding of how shipping, climate change and environmental variation affect whales around South Georgia.

Who is involved

This project is led by BAS in partnership with:

• The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI)
• Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
• International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO)
• Happywhale
• ORCA
• the Polar Citizen Science Collective

Funding and support come from Darwin Plus, the Blue Belt Programme, the South Georgia Heritage Trust, and Friends of South Georgia Island.

1. Ground-breaking discovery in South Georgia waters!

   For the first time, an Antarctic blue whale has been successfully matched across years in South Georgia—thanks to citizen scientists and the power of photo-identification shared through HappyWhale. This remarkable […]

   Read more of: Ground-breaking discovery in South Georgia waters!

   

2. Cumberland Bay Acoustic Moorings Update

   Science doesn’t stop during the festive season. On 24 December, King Edward Point marine biologists Rhi Nicol and Cami De Pasquale went out to the entrance of Cumberland Bay to […]

   Read more of: Cumberland Bay Acoustic Moorings Update

   

3. Bird Island Update from Zoological Field Assistant Jess Callaghan

   Besides our busy schedules, here on Bird Island we try to whale watch at every available opportunity. The sheer cliffs on the North side of the island provide an excellent […]

   Read more of: Bird Island Update from Zoological Field Assistant Jess Callaghan

   

4. Whale of a Weekend Festival 26-29 June 2025

   Project Leader Dr Jennifer Jackson, Project Partner and field team member Dr Joanna Kershaw, and Project Manager Stephanie Martin were invited by South Georgia Heritage Trust/Friends of South Georgia Island […]

   Read more of: Whale of a Weekend Festival 26-29 June 2025

   

5. Field Update from Cumberland Bay Acoustic Moorings Deployment

   In January, we finally deployed two of the acoustic moorings in Cumberland Bay. This was after almost a year and a half in delays mainly due to large icebergs in the area.

   Read more of: Field Update from Cumberland Bay Acoustic Moorings Deployment

   

6. 7 things you didn’t know about poo in Antarctica

   Poo isn’t usually what first comes to mind when thinking of Antarctica, we tend to imagine the frozen landscape, vast expanses of white, ice sheets, and penguins. Yet, poo is […]

   Read more of: 7 things you didn’t know about poo in Antarctica

   

7. Project Update: Bird Island- a year round cetacean observatory 

   George Day has recently spent two years working as a zoological field assistant (ZFA) on Bird Island (BI). When he was not busy with other duties, he spent many hours […]

   Read more of: Project Update: Bird Island- a year round cetacean observatory 

   

1. King Edward Point Research Station

   King Edward Point Research Station on South Georgia has been a centre for marine and fisheries research for 25 years.

   Read more of: King Edward Point Research Station

   

2. Bird Island Research Station

   The Bird Island Research Station focuses on the long-term study of seabirds and seals in one of the world’s richest wildlife sites.

   Read more of: Bird Island Research Station