Tussac grass and some yellow lichen in Prince Olav Harbour. South Georgia has 200 species of lichens, several types of grasses, and birds, but no mammals other than seals. After a long campaign, rodents brought by sailors were finally eradicated in 2018 after more than 200 years (one of the reasons for the stringent inspections before we could land there.) There also used to be herds of reindeer, which were introduced by Norwegian whalers, but they were so destructive to the native grasses and plants that they also had to be killed.
There are still some foreign plants that were brought by settlers, but most of what you'll see on the island is native—plus, of course, the detritus left by humans, like those giant rusty “flowers” in the picture on the right.
There are still some foreign plants that were brought by settlers, but most of what you'll see on the island is native—plus, of course, the detritus left by humans, like those giant rusty “flowers” in the picture on the right.
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