Prion Island, South Georgia (2007) — Feisty fur seal pups cover a shoreline nursery mixed with adult seals and gentoo penguins. About the size of boots now, they’ll soon grow to a couple hundred pounds or more. Still, the furry pups are quite keen on displaying their toughness. It’s a hard sell considering how adorable they look.

Prion Island, South Georgia (2007) — A pair of wandering albatrosses dance within tall, windswept tussac grass. Their wingspans can reach over 11 feet, making them the largest flying birds in the world. They move their wings like sails and giant veils during courtship.

St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia (2007) — The king penguin colony stretches inland to the Heaney Glacier. Only decades ago, the glacier reached the sea. Viewed from up close along its edge and top, the rapid melting that occurs is startling.

Shingle Cove, South Orkneys (2007) — An Adélie has a clear preference for rocks, as it moves them from one pile to another during this blustery day. It even climbs up and down rather than grabbing the nearest rocks. Its nest likely grows at the expense of another penguin’s nest.

Shingle Cove, South Orkneys (2007) — Adélie penguins march in and out of a bustling colony on Coronation Island. Fur seals and elephant seals rest on the shore while penguins in the water navigate around icebergs.

Shingle Cove, South Orkneys (2007) — Massive elephant seals have gathered ashore. Some must remain on land while molting, which completely replaces their protective skin. Others wrestle, bite, and head slap to practice for a time when the fighting will be for real and tough hides will be well needed.

Disclaimer: The footage used for these historical video clips was shot many years ago for reference purposes related to writing. The compact digital camera used was an early adopter of video. Back then compact digital cameras were very limited in quality and capability compared to where they stand now. So, the footage obviously does not meet today's standards.