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Seal of approval: The incredible wildlife of South Georgia

  • Ready for my close-up: A young elephant seal gets close to the camera. South Georgia is a British overseas territory roughly 1551km east of the Falkland Islands. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    Ready for my close-up: A young elephant seal gets close to the camera. South Georgia is a British overseas territory roughly 1551km east of the Falkland Islands. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)

    Ready for my close-up: A young elephant seal gets close to the camera. South Georgia is a British overseas territory roughly 1551km east of the Falkland Islands. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
  • Young king penguins, who have not yet developed into their glossy black and white coat, play in the surf. An estimated six million penguins live on the island - making it a hot spot for tourists to visit by boat and cruise ships. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    Young King Penguins, not yet grown into their glossy black and white coat, play in the surf. An estimated six million penguins live on the island - making it a hot spot for tourists to visit by boat and cruise ships. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)

    Young king penguins, who have not yet developed into their glossy black and white coat, play in the surf. An estimated six million penguins live on the island - making it a hot spot for tourists to visit by boat and cruise ships. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
  • Elephant seals dwarf king penguins as they mingle together on the beach. South Georgia is an inhabitable island with glaciers, towering mountains and rough seas. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    Elephant seals dwarf king penguins as they mingle together on the beach. South Georgia is an inhabitable island with glaciers, towering mountains and rough seas. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)

    Elephant seals dwarf king penguins as they mingle together on the beach. South Georgia is an inhabitable island with glaciers, towering mountains and rough seas. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
  • Hundreds of king penguins gather on the beach. Paul said: "No-one arrives here by accident. Not only is it a long way from anywhere, it is also lashed by some of the most 'lively' seas in the world. However, when you bear in mind the incredible legacy of Shackleton and many other heroic explorers as well as the whaling history, it is fascinating historically." (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    Hundreds of king penguins gather on the beach. Paul said: "No-one arrives here by accident. Not only is it a long way from anywhere, it is also lashed by some of the most 'lively' seas in the world. However, when you bear in mind the incredible legacy of Shackleton and many other heroic explorers as well as the whaling history, it is fascinating historically." (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)

    Hundreds of king penguins gather on the beach. Paul said: "No-one arrives here by accident. Not only is it a long way from anywhere, it is also lashed by some of the most 'lively' seas in the world. However, when you bear in mind the incredible legacy of Shackleton and many other heroic explorers as well as the whaling history, it is fascinating historically." (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
  • Spot the odd one out: An adult king penguin among juveniles. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    Spot the odd one out: An adult king penguin among juveniles (young). (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)

    Spot the odd one out: An adult king penguin among juveniles. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
  • Like the Falkland Islands, Argentina believes it has a claim to call South Georgia its own. There are large colonies of petrels and albatross on the island. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    Like the Falkland Islands, South Georgia is both claimed by the United Kingdom and Argentina. There are large colonies of petrels and albatross on the island and whales have been spotted in its surrounding waters. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)

    Like the Falkland Islands, Argentina believes it has a claim to call South Georgia its own. There are large colonies of petrels and albatross on the island. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
  • A king penguin stretches his neck above the other birds. It's the second largest species of penguin and typically measures between 70 and 100cm tall. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    A king penguin stretches his neck above the other birds. The animal is the second largest type of penguin and measures between 70 and 100cm tall. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)

    A king penguin stretches his neck above the other birds. It's the second largest species of penguin and typically measures between 70 and 100cm tall. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
  • King penguins go for a paddle. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    King penguins rush into the sea on the island. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)

    King penguins go for a paddle. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
  • An elephant seal. South Georgia is famed for its diversity of wildlife. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    An elephant seal crashes into the sea. South Georgia is famed for its diversity of wildlife such as penguins and seals. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)

    An elephant seal. South Georgia is famed for its diversity of wildlife. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
  • Paul Goldstein, based in Wimbledon, London, calls South Georgia a "wildlife nirvana". (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
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    Paul Goldstein, based in Wimbledon, London, took pictures of the place he calls a

    Paul Goldstein, based in Wimbledon, London, calls South Georgia a "wildlife nirvana". (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
Ready for my close-up: A young elephant seal gets close to the camera. South Georgia is a British overseas territory roughly 1551km east of the Falkland Islands. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
Young king penguins, who have not yet developed into their glossy black and white coat, play in the surf. An estimated six million penguins live on the island - making it a hot spot for tourists to visit by boat and cruise ships. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
Elephant seals dwarf king penguins as they mingle together on the beach. South Georgia is an inhabitable island with glaciers, towering mountains and rough seas. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
Hundreds of king penguins gather on the beach. Paul said: "No-one arrives here by accident. Not only is it a long way from anywhere, it is also lashed by some of the most 'lively' seas in the world. However, when you bear in mind the incredible legacy of Shackleton and many other heroic explorers as well as the whaling history, it is fascinating historically." (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
Spot the odd one out: An adult king penguin among juveniles. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
Like the Falkland Islands, Argentina believes it has a claim to call South Georgia its own. There are large colonies of petrels and albatross on the island. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
A king penguin stretches his neck above the other birds. It's the second largest species of penguin and typically measures between 70 and 100cm tall. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
King penguins go for a paddle. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
An elephant seal. South Georgia is famed for its diversity of wildlife. (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
Paul Goldstein, based in Wimbledon, London, calls South Georgia a "wildlife nirvana". (Paul Goldstein/Exodus/Rex Features)
Updated

The island of South Georgia, 1551km east of the Falkland Islands, is home to six million penguins and countless seals and seabirds. Last month British photographer Paul Goldstein visited this British overseas territory and shot some truly spectacular images of what he calls a 'wildlife nirvana'.