mo4ch:>'Astonishing' blue whale numbers at South Georgia | Mo4ch News

By Jonathan AmosBBC Science Correspondent 20 February 2020 Image copyrightM.Collins/BAS South Georgia Whale ProjectImage captionTo see so many blues back in the waters around South Georgia is tremendously encourgaingScientists say they have seen a remarkable collection of blue whales in the coastal waters around the UK sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia.Their 23-day survey counted 55 animals - a total that is unprecedented in the decades since commercial whaling ended.South Georgia was the epicentre for hunting in the early 20th Century.The territory's boats with their steam-powered harpoons were pivotal in reducing Antarctic blues to just a few hundred individuals.To witness 55 of them now return to what was once a pre-eminent feeding ground for the population has been described as "truly, truly amazing" by cetacean specialist Dr Trevor Branch from the University of Washington, Seattle. "To think that in a period of 40 or 50 years, I only had records for two sighti…