SOUTH GEORGIA AND SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS

Situated 1,300 kilometres southeast of the Falkland Islands, the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia is part of the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI), a pristine, remote region that sustains significant populations of marine mammals and seabirds. To prevent overfishing and exploitation by tourism, the British Overseas Territory, which, like the Falkland Islands, is claimed by Argentina, was turned into a large marine reserve in 2012.

The reserve covers over one million square kilometres of sea, and any commercial use of bottom trawl nets is prohibited, with longline fisheries limited to depths above 700 metres. This policy protects the young black hake, which can live at great depths. The direct coastal areas around all the islands have been declared strict nature reserves to protect animals that live on land and go hunting in the sea, such as penguins, seals and seabirds. Likewise, the reserve includes the spawning areas for many deep-sea fish species, which can now reproduce undisturbed here.

For many decades, whales, seals and dolphins were caught here for their blubber which was processed into fish oil, but today, the region lives on the tourism industry, which is gradually expanding. LEOPARD SEALS,

FUR SEALS AND KING PENGUINS Diving off the island of Tern, the visibility is six to eight metres and the sun is shining. In less than 10 metres, we are at the bottom amidst the kelp forest – I see the silhouette of a seal. I quickly realise that this can only be a leopard seal. The animal seems to be interested in us and swims in front of me immediately. He is very fast, but he wants to play. I spend the next 15 minutes chasing the seal to get the perfect shot, but unexpectedly

I find myself at the surface again. He swims toward me and gently nudges my dome port with his mouth several times. Though

I don’t feel threatened, my guide calls me out of the water immediately. Back on the boat, she explains how dangerous this animal can be, and believes that he is exhibiting signs of nervousness. In fact, he floats around the boat several times before disappearing between the kelp, though he never opens his mouth to threaten us.

Heading to shore, we are greeted by curious baby fur seals, while elephant seals laze around with countless penguins standing between them. With my fisheye lens attached,

I’m sitting on the shore till I am surrounded by dozens of king penguins. Curious, they look down at the camera. What could they be thinking? As the time to leave approaches, most of our group has already made their way back, and I am left alone surrounded by 200,000 animals. What a sight.

66 | ABOVE A fur seal playing in the waters of South Georgia OPPOSITE PAGE TOP South Georgia is home to an estimated four million Antarctic fur seals OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM King penguins are the second-largest penguin species SDAA