Salisbury Plain lies on the southern shore of the Bay of Isles, 50 km (31 mi) from the western tip of South Georgia. It has the second largest king penguin colony on the island with an estimated 60,000 breeding pairs which swells to 250,000 individuals in total when the penguins are undergoing their moult. This indicates an extraordinary population increase since 1912 when only 350 breeding pairs were counted. Historically, Salisbury Plain was a favoured hunting ground for sealers during the 19th century where both fur seal and elephant seals were taken in large numbers.
