Blue whale numbers on the rise at South Georgia

The resurgence of blue whales around the island of South Georgia is real and has probably been under way for a little while now, say scientists.

When a survey was conducted at the British Overseas Territory earlier this year, 58 of the animals were seen. That was described as "astonishing" at the time because there had been so few sightings previously.

But a reassessment of 30 years of observational data suggests this bumper crowd of blues was no anomaly.

Dr Jennifer Jackson from the British Antarctic Survey details the findings of the new research.

Credit: Blue whale video from John Dickens/BAS. Stills from Russell Leaper & Amy Jackson

Read more: Blue whales have 'rediscovered' South Georgia