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.

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