Belgrano J., M. Iñíguez, J. Gibbons, C. García & C. Olavarría. 2008.
South-west Atlantic right whales distribution nearby the Magellan Strait. Anales
del Instituto de la Patagonia (Chile) 36 (2): 69-74
In this note we review the
distribution of southern right whales in the area nearby the eastern entrance to
the Magellan Strait, including Argentina and Chilean waters, including reported
and unreported records from the nearby province of Santa Cruz, Argentina
(Iñíguez et al. 2003) and the southern Chilean fjords (Gibbons et al. 2006) with the aim of examining the local
distribution of the species and its degree of movement across the border between
Argentina and Chilean waters.
In the area of Santa Cruz, Argentina, sightings have been
recorded since 1986. We include here those records nearby Cabo Vírgenes and
Punta Dungeness as in Iñíguez et al.
(2003). In the Chilean Patagonian and
Fuegian channels and fjords, extensive surveys for cetaceans have been
undertaken between 1997 and 2005 as in Gibbons et al. (2006). Further surveys have been undertaken by the
Centre for Quaternary Research (CEQUA) in the fjords and channels at the central
and western portions of the Magellan Strait, as well as in southern channels
between 2003 and 2008.