An individual of a **crossed dolphin** was found on the coasts of **Las Grutas, Río Negro, for the first time**. The animal died shortly after being detected.
The body was taken to the Admiral Storni Marine Research Center (CIMAS) for study. Its presence is **essential for scientific and environmental research** on the species, according to specialists.
Personnel from the **Undersecretariat of Wildlife** and the **Provincial System of Protected Natural Areas** received the alert about the sighting and immediately deployed an operation.
The **Argentine Naval Prefecture**, the **Rio Negro Police**, and the **San Antonio Oeste Lifeguard Corps** worked together.
Crossed dolphin in Río Negro: they will analyze the body of the specimen
As reported, the animal was **struggling to swim** a few meters from the coast and was close to death.
A search was carried out on various beaches with CIMAS personnel, and the cetacean was located in an area near **San Antonio Oeste**.
Subsequently, they transferred it to the research center’s facilities, where the **corresponding necropsy** was performed.
The studies could provide **information on the causes of its death** and contribute to the knowledge of the biology of this species, for which there are few records.
Asked about the stranding issue in the region, the park ranger **Sebastián Ortega** from San Antonio explained that they have increased. “From a statistical point of view,” he clarified.
“But this could be related to the **growth of the cetacean population**, such as the [southern right whale](https://noticiasambientales.com/animales/premian-al-programa-de-investigacion-ballena-franca-austral/) on the coasts of Río Negro, which has led to more accidental strandings,” he stressed.
The discovery of this specimen represents a unique opportunity for science and reinforces the importance of monitoring and conserving marine fauna in the province.
What is the crossed dolphin like
The **crossed dolphin** (*Lagenorhynchus cruciger*) is a species of odontocete cetacean from the Delphinidae family. It is a small dolphin that inhabits Antarctic and subantarctic waters.
Historically, it has been seen very few times. It was first identified as a new species by Quoy and Gaimard in 1824 from a drawing made in the South Pacific in 1820.
With a **black and white** coloration, it was colloquially known by whalers as the “sea cow.”
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