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First confirmed stranding of a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

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Abstract

Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) can be found worldwide, in oceanic waters, though are rarely found in coastal areas of wide and shallow continental platforms such as those in the western South Atlantic Ocean. Here we report the first confirmed stranding of a B. physalus off the Atlantic coast of Tierra del Fuego (TDF), in July (austral winter) of 2016. In addition, a bibliographic review of the strandings of this species was carried out on the Argentinian coasts and especially on TDF. The animal was fresh when it was found and may have been alive at the moment of the stranding. The specimen was a physically immature female with a total length 15.8 m. No injuries or fishing gear were observed to suggest accidental entanglement or vessel collision. The specimen’s stomachs were empty except for a low-grade infestation with the trematode Ogmogaster antarcticus, but without any associated macroscopic gastric pathology. Although the necropsy was carried out within a few hours of death, we could not make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of death. However, the insufficient fat deposits indicate a bad physical condition and may have contributed to its stranding and subsequent death. This specimen represents the first confirmed stranding of this species in TDF.

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Acknowledgements

We give thanks to Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas of Argentina (CADIC-CONICET) and Fundación R. Natalie P. Goodall for the economic and logistical support. We are indebted to María Paula Sotelano, Natalia Rosciano, Agustina Dellabianca, Fernando Encinas, Guillermo López Barrios and Agustín Ramos for their help during the necropsy. We also thank Tabaré Barreto (Centro de Interpretación de la Reserva Costa Atlántica); María Luisa Carranza, Erio Curto, Soraya Acardi (Secretaría de Ambiente Desarrollo Sustentable y Cambio Climático de Tierra del Fuego); the staff of Gobierno Municipal and of Prefectura Naval Argentina, as well as Luis Benegas, for their help and assistance during the necropsy. We also thank Tabaré Barretos for providing us with the skeleton photos of the fin whale specimen. We especially thank M. F. Van Bressem and K. Van Waerebeek for providing several constructive comments to improve the manuscript and Gracie Bouker for helping with the English edition. We kindly thank J.A. Raga and F.J. Aznar for their opinion on the cutaneous scars seen on the fin whale and P. Duignan for his comments on the lung samples. We kindly acknowledge Dr. F.I. Archer and anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on the manuscript. A.S.M.’s work was supported under a Ph.D. fellowship from CONICET. The necropsy was conducted by the IMMA Project under provincial permits granted by Secretaría de Ambiente, Desarrollo Sostenible y Cambio Climático (Res. SUBS P.A. y S Nº 0002/2017).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CADIC-CONICET), Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

    A. A. San Martín, L. Riccialdelli, M. A. Torres & N. A. Dellabianca

  2. Fundación R. Natalie P. Goodall, Museo Acatushún de Aves Y Mamíferos Marinos Australes, Ea. Harberton, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

    A. A. San Martín & N. A. Dellabianca

  3. Investigaciones en Mamíferos Marinos Australes, IMMA Project, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

    A. A. San Martín, M. N. Paso Viola, L. Riccialdelli, M. A. Torres & N. A. Dellabianca

  4. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

    M. N. Paso Viola

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  1. A. A. San Martín
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  2. M. N. Paso Viola
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  3. L. Riccialdelli
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  4. M. A. Torres
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  5. N. A. Dellabianca
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Contributions

A.S.M., M.N.P.V., L.R., and N.D. designed the study. All authors conducted the necropsy. A.S.M. analyzed the histological and stomach content. M.N.P.V. conducted the parasitological analysis. A.S.M. wrote and revised the manuscript along with all authors.

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Correspondence to A. A. San Martín.

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Cetacean necropsy and tissue samples collection was carried out under IMMA Project approved by Provincial permits (Resolution SUBS PAyS 0002/2017) granted by Secretaría de Ambiente, Desarrollo Sustentable y Cambio Climático of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province, Argentina.

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San Martín, A., Paso Viola, M.N., Riccialdelli, L. et al. First confirmed stranding of a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Polar Biol 44, 1737–1744 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02905-5

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