Sighting of southern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii) in the Magellan Strait, Chile

摘要

The southern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii) is a seldom seen cetacean of southern latitudes. In the eastern South Pacific, there are less than 73 confirmed records of live and stranded animals. Moreover, all live individual records have been sighted in offshore and deep waters, but not in the shallow water of the channels and fjords of southern Chile. Two sightings of southern right whale dolphins were made on March 21 and April 7, 2018 at Ballena Sound and Charles Islands in the western area of Magellan Strait. All individuals were identified as putative adults. Both sightings may correspond to the same group of animals and, if this assumption is correct, the dolphins would have stayed at least 17 days in the area. Even though it is not clear whether the southern right whale dolphins were initially present in the Magellan Strait, or what route they took from the open sea and what biological and physical properties were determinants for this presence, without a doubt, the occurrence of southern right whale dolphins in the eastern South Pacific channel systems is unusual.