Studies on cetaceans at Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil can be divided in three periods. During the first one (1861-1963), studies of the Argentines Burmeister, Gallardo, Lahille and Marelli were done on dolphin and porpoise osteology, occasionally on whales, these wire followed by those of Miranda Ribeiro and Carvalho in Brazil. The second period (1969-1976) begins with the studies of the North Américan Gilmore (1969) in Patagonia. From this year on, numerous forcing expeditions came to Argentina and Uruguay, to study the right whale, Eubalaena australis behavior in Patagonia and the La Plata river dolphin. Pontoporia blainvillei biology at Punta del Diablo, Uruguay. These expeditions have contributed to a better knowledge of whales and dolphins, not only in South if not also, abroad. During thin period studies on bekzvior, bioacustics, population dynamics and bio-ecological studies ; began. Simultaneously it is observed that Latin Americm researches, specially those of Uruguay and Brazil, become interested ind doing cetological research on systematic aspects. The third period (1976- ) it is characterized by an increased effort on this field and also by a better exchange of information between the three S. W. Atlantic countries. In Brazil, during the last two years, a gret interest on the minke whale conservation problem has developed, not only at the public opinion, but also at the government level.
