Last Thursday, October 8th, the Chamber of Deputies of the Province of Santa Cruz declared Peale’s dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) as Provincial Natural Monument, within the framework of the Law No.786, Article 6.

Among the articles approved within the framework of this law, the coastal marine territory of the Province of Santa Cruz is declared total and permanent close area for the hunting of this species; the capture, marketing of products, capture derived sub-products, and its use for any non- scientific activity are ban. At the same time, one of the articles states that every activity to be undertaken within the habitat of the species, involving any disturbance to it, must have the prior approval of the enforcement authority, and it also refers to the importance of continuing the studies on the species, one of the least known of our territory (including issues such as interaction with fisheries, distribution of the social structure, behavior, feeding, genetics, photoidentification, etc.), and the importance of promoting environmental education and ecotourism.

Since its inception, Fundación Cethus has developed different research projects on this species, trying to give the necessary support so that this project finally becomes real.

We emphasize the relevance that this statement will have on the conservation of this species, especially given the increasing oil activity being developed in many areas of its home range.

At the same time we stress the great work done by the Sub-Secretariat of Environment and the Provincial Agrarian Council of Santa Cruz, which enabled this project of many years, became a tangible fact.

This measure joins in the declaration of Commerson’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) as Provincial Natural Monument in 2001, and the declaration of the Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) as a National Natural Monument in 1984 and Provincial Natural Monument in 2003, so it is important to stress that the cetacean species, perhaps the most representative of the province of Santa Cruz, have some degree of national and provincial protection.