Photo: Carolina Pantano
In a recent note in Infobae The work of Cristian De Haro, the scientist who studied the cetacean and its relationship with macroalgae forests, is described. Between the coasts of Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego, you can see the southern dolphin next to the macroalgae forests.
If we talk about treasures in Patagonia, we think of the endless sunsets, of the wildlife running in the steppe, but there is much more if we look towards the sea. Under its waters, macroalgae forests rise swaying to the rhythm of the waves. There the southern dolphin finds its home, as fascinating as it is vulnerable.
The macroalgae forests that border the coasts of Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego form a submerged natural corridor that supports incomparable biodiversity.
From Cabo Vírgenes, the southernmost point of the province of Santa Cruz, Cristian de Haro, teacher and researcher at GEPAMA-UBA, has led research projects that discover the delicate balance that sustains marine life.
He has been studying the southern dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) for almost four decades and his research resulted in a fundamental link to understand the dynamics of this small cetacean, which takes refuge and feeds in the waters of the Strait of Magellan and maintains a close relationship with the macroalgae forests in Patagonia.
Cristian de Haro’s work is rooted in a tradition of collaborative research that had Natalie Goodall, an American scientist based in Tierra del Fuego, as one of its main protagonists. Goodall, who dedicated her life to the study of the region’s marine biodiversity, left a legacy of knowledge that inspires new generations of researchers. Both Goodall and de Haro explored the link between the southern dolphin and macroalgae forests, laying the foundation for a greater understanding of this ecosystem.
One of the great peculiarities of the southern dolphin is that it spends hours and hours among the algae and “in this the work that the Por el Mar foundation does is very important studying, recording, filming and working for the conservation of the macrocystis forests in Santa Cruz like in Tierra del Fuego,” explains Cristian and adds that “if you want to see the southern dolphin, what you have to do is get close to where the macroalgae forests are,” explains Cristian in a recent note for Infobae.
These underwater forests, formed by giant algae such as cachiyuyo, provide vital shelter and feeding areas for this species. “Macroalgae forests are more than a habitat; They are the backbone of this ecosystem,” explains De Haro, and Cabo Vírgenes is that southern point of the province of Santa Cruz, which represents an essential setting to understand the interdependence between the inhabitants of the sea and the underwater forests.
However, like the algae that shelter it, the dolphin faces increasing threats that put its survival at risk. Climate change raises the temperature of the ocean and affects the growth of macroalgae, plastic pollution, overfishing, alter marine ecosystems and destroy these key areas for biodiversity.
“The loss or degradation of this specific habitat makes us suspect that it would have a very important impact. For this reason, when I worked to declare the dolphin a Natural Monument, I had the double intention of also guarding its preferred habitat,” says de Haro.
Following the example of Tierra del Fuego, where measures have been taken to protect these habitats, there is an urgent need to advance similar strategies in Santa Cruz. “The connection between these two territories is essential for the health of the entire Patagonian region.” The creation of marine protected areas and the development of sustainable human activities are fundamental steps to preserve this corridor of life.
The story of the southern dolphin and its link with submerged forests is more than a story about nature and science. It is the urgent call to value and protect a unique biological corridor that unites Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego. The preservation of these forests ensures the survival of emblematic species such as the southern dolphin and also reinforces the resilience of ecosystems in the face of the challenges of climate change.
