Latest News

Team Rat complete their 2013 baiting target

Team Rat has now reached its 2013 target, baiting a further 580 square kilometres of South Georgia, despite operating in some of the worst weather in a decade. This year's work means that the team has baited 70% of the infested area of the island.

If the £2 million needed to complete the final year of fieldwork can be raised, Team Rat can return in 2015 to bait the remaining 300 square kilometres.

Once all of the rats and mice are removed from South Georgia, scientists estimate a 100 million increase in the island's bird population.

To follow the Team's progress follow SGHT on Facebook or Twitter. Support Team Rat's work by sponsoring a hectare of the island to be cleared of rodents.

Island Foundation donates US$750,000 to Habitat Restoration Project

The announcement of further funding from this key supporter was made at a fundraising luncheon hosted by Royal Patron HRH The Princess Royal at St. James's Palace

Habitat Restoration receives £250,000 of Defra funding

On 8th February 2012, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) awarded SGHT £250,000 of funding towards the South Georgia Habitat Restoration project. Read more on this exciting development here

Friends of South Georgia Island (FOSGI) is awarded 501(c)3 status

The Friends of South Georgia Island organisation (FOSGI) was awarded 501(c) 3 status in December 2011. US donors can make a tax-deductible donation through the website at www.fosgi.org.

Download spectacular South Georgia panoramas from the Centre for Remote Environments

SGHT Habitat Restoration Project: Phase 1 complete

Phase 1 of the Habitat Restoration Project was successfully completed in March 2011 – in just 28 days making this project the largest island rodent eradication operation ever undertaken in the world. This part of South Georgia is now believed to be rat free for the first time in two centuries.

Click here to sponsor a hectare and support the SGHT Habitat Restoration Project.

More news and publications

Register for newsletters

Grants and Bursaries

SGHT supports Government-approved research undertaken on South Georgia which will benefit the island.

Marine biodiversity grant SGHT is currently supporting research to develop marine protected areas around South Georgia. This project to help protect marine biodiversity in the Southern Ocean is underway. The research is being undertaken by Claire Tancell through studies at Cambridge University and research at British Antarctic Survey.SGHT is working in partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (www.fpa2.com) to protect the future of South Georgia's marine life. <Read more about Claire Tancell's studies>. <Download the first year report on Claire's research>
Benthic study grant SGHT has supported British Antarctic Survey (www.bas.ac.uk) in its studies of the biodviersity of the benthic floor of the Southern Ocean, in partnership with the Government of South Georgia. The study undertaken by David Barnes and Oliver Hogg, created 14,000 unique records representing 1027 species of seabed life. Read article about the biodiversity work
2010-11 Bursary award In 2010-11 the David Nicholls annual bursary was awarded to the Shallow Marine Surveys Group based in the Falkland Islands. In November 2010 the group collected specimens from around South Georgia as part of an intertidal survey. From mid-February 2011 the group began the work of sorting and identifying the thousands of specimens collected, <Read the report of the Shallow Marine Surveys Group on their intertidal survey> Latest report on intertidal work prepared for SGHT Latest report on seaweed/algae survey prepared for SGHT
Annual bursary award and application SGHT awards an annual bursary of £5,000 in honour of its founder, the late Brigadier David Nicholls RM. The bursary was created to financially enable an individual or group to undertake research to benefit South Georgia. Previous bursary winners have been part of school expedition teams to South Georgia, have used specialist knowledge to conserve artefacts at South Georgia Museum and have produced art and exhibitions inspired by the island. In 2011 Trustees agreed that South Georgia Museum's annual curatorial internship should be the recipient of the David Nicholls' bursary, now renamed as the David Nicholls' internship bursary.
SGHT research grants SGHT can award a grant of up to £20,000 for research work which will benefit the island of South Georgia. Download the application form to apply for the SGHT grant Download guidance for grant applicants