Whale Q&A

While it is not unusual to see large rorquals in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence in winter, more…

The last time killer whales were seen in Tadoussac was in 2003, though other sightings (article in French) are occasionally…

The reason marine mammals fascinate us so much is that we are far from having unravelled all of their mysteries!…

Ambergris, a mysterious treasure of the deep seas, has captivated the human imagination for centuries. This rare substance has crossed…

The birth rate of North Atlantic right whales is very close to the species’ mortality rate. Classified as endangered for…

Despite their similar names in French, the sei whale and the bowhead whale are two very distinct species! To eliminate…

In a few weeks from now, scientists will be plying the waters of the St. Lawrence with the aim of…

Humpback whales are also particularly entertaining, lifting their tails when diving, performing successive breaches, striking their pectorals or tail on…

In an immense expanse of blue, a long and slender silhouette gently rises above the water surface. A string of…

A rare behaviour that remains unexplained Bertie Gregory, explorer for National Geographic, recently witnessed an extremely rare episode of intimidation.…

Ever look at a whale’s pectoral fins and wonder what lies beneath the skin? Enclosed in the rigid and resilient…

As part of Science Literacy Week taking place from September 18 to 24 under the theme “Energy,” the Whales Online…

Did you know that a sound wave can travel through water at a speed of 5,400 kilometres per hour? In…

Compared to their giant bodies, the eyes of whales are quite small. It is often said that the eyes are…

Did you know that in some terrestrial species such as the baboon, infanticide can cause up to 70% of all…

The blue whale has a dive time that varies from around 10 to 30 minutes, which is not enough to…

Tic Tac Toe, an easily recognizable female humpback whale with a large “X” on her caudal fin, was seen several…

Many whales feature both dark body parts and light body parts. This is the case for a number of species…

Being mammals, whales have a lot more in common with us than you might think. From breathing to nursing to…

Anyone who has ever walked through the doors of Tadoussac’s Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM) has undoubtedly gawked at the…

From odontocetes to mysticetes, whale anatomy varies from one species to another, even with regard to their heads! The sperm…

Caring for sick, injured or dead individuals – otherwise known as epimeletic behaviour – is a common form of expression…

Public opinion seems increasingly concerned about the future of whales, which have become over time a symbol of wildlife conservation.…

Like humpbacks, toothed whales (odontocetes) and dolphins in particular stand out for their altruistic behaviour. However, the nature of this…

By definition, taxonomy is a science aimed at studying the diversity of the living world. In this regard, organisms are…

Some whales bear reminders of their past. Sometimes inconspicuous, sometimes more pronounced, scars of all shapes and sizes mark the…

The more time they spend watching and working with marine mammals, the more observers and scientists alike come to assume…

Although the grey seal feeds primarily on fish and crustaceans, it also seems to hunt and occaisonally feed on harbour…

It is difficult to determine with certainty the altruistic character of a given animal behaviour. Indeed, guessing their motive is…

A favourite subject for some but dreaded by others, math can sometimes be applied in unusual ways. As part of…

Scanning the vast, nutrient-rich waters of the St. Lawrence, any keen-eyed observer may ask a very simple but essential question…

Newborn belugas are born brownish before becoming grey-blue and then completely white. This gradual change of color is a common…

We all have in mind that killer whales are super-predators that can attack the largest animals on the planet: blue…

That might sound like a funny question! After all, isn’t the blue colour of Balaenoptera musculus, in addition to its…

Since 1994, GREMM’s research team has been conducting a long-term biopsy program (article in French) on the beluga population of…

Tipping the scales at up to 135 tonnes, the blue whale is the largest animal on our planet. Seeing the…

Powerful yet elegant, cetaceans are majestic beings for humans to observe. But how do they see us? In colour or…

Approximately 90% of humans are right-handed, preferring to use their right hand for writing and carrying out daily tasks, while…

Is the narwhal still in the region? Is it still associating with belugas? How is it doing? Many of you…

Every year, the whales of the St. Lawrence travel thousands of kilometres between Quebec and their wintering grounds. A humpback…

How much is a whale worth? According to a 2019 study conducted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a large…

They stand out from other members of their species by their unusual whiteness. They are known as albinos. Like land…

Nicknamed the “greyhound of the sea,” the fin whale is the fastest of any of the large rorquals that frequent…

“Are the whales expected to arrive anytime soon? Are there any whales still in the area? How long will they…

If you follow whale-related issues at all, you’ve probably already heard of ghost gear. Some of our readers might be…

[Updated on September 28th] Once again this year, from June 21 to September 21, the Baie Sainte-Marguerite sector remained off-limits…

The vocabulary used to talk about our whales can sometimes be confusing. Should we say “marine mammal,” “cetacean,” “whale,” or…

It is sometimes said that Tic Tac Toe, Capitaine Crochet or Ti-Croche are “faithful” whales, but what does this really…

Upon seeing a whale floating oddly on the water surface, do you decide to immediately jump overboard and save it…

In the fall, nearly all baleen whales in the St. Lawrence head for warmer waters in the South, where they…

At the call centre for the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network, 80% of reported cases involve seals, whether they…

All mammals have hair. At first glance, this characteristic seems completely incompatible with the image we have of whales, animals…

Whales produce viscous tears (article in French) that serve to protect their eyes from debris. Are these tears also used…

Judging by the search engines, the question has created quite a buzz: are whales capable of emitting flatulence, gas... in…

This year, the decline in ice cover on the St. Lawrence, a trend that began a few decades ago, is…

When discussing the impacts of an accident between a ship and a marine mammal, we generally focus on the physical…

In the realm of conservation and research, long-term efforts to further our knowledge about cetaceans and protect them continue. This…

There are believed to be around 360 North Atlantic right whales left in the world, and probably fewer than a…

In the animated film Pinocchio, the famous puppet is swallowed by a whale, then lives in its belly for a…

As we know, whales are big eaters and can detect their prey from afar, some species thanks to their sense…

While three oil drilling projects off the coast of Newfoundland are being fast-tracked by the Canadian government, one faithful reader…

It’s 9 in the evening, and a group of ten or so kayakers venture out onto the St. Lawrence with…

It is bigger than the largest dinosaur. And it weighs roughly 25 times more than the largest living land animal,…

It may seem surprising, but up until a few months ago, the diet of the St. Lawrence beluga was not…

Within the animal kingdom, most species adjust their periods of sleep and activity according to a repeated 24-hour cycle called…

When fall returns, the humpbacks of the St. Lawrence head to the Caribbean for the winter. In the space of…

Pollution can accumulate in whales' bodies and cause them serious health problems. “Can we flush this pollution out of a…

In many places around the globe, ecotourism organizations offer the opportunity to swim with marine mammals. Whether we’re talking about…

Following our article on the various killer whale ecotypes, one reader asked whether killer whales of different ecotypes are able…

Certainly you know that there are several species of whales and many species of dolphins. But did you know that…

After a week of severe weather in September 2019, a naturalist from the whale-watching outfitter Croisières Escoumins wondered whether whales…

This question comes to us via our Whales Online Facebook page: Could the current COVID-19 pandemic affecting humans around the globe…

This question comes from residents of Godbout, a small village in Quebec’s Côte-Nord region. In this municipality, starting point of…

For researchers, studying the giants of the seas is no easy task! For example, how do they quantify how much…

One reader sent us this video from Blue Planet Live in which researchers were collecting pieces of dead skin that…

In early January, GREMM (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals) received numerous calls from observers claiming to have…

The impact of the global decline of cetaceans is not fully understood, as it has never been quantified. But the…

This question is from Marie-Hélène D’Arcy, beluga photo-ID technician at the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM).…

Blue whales have a huge tongue that weighs as much as an elephant. In addition to the sense of taste,…

There are nearly 70 species of toothed whales and 13 species of baleen whales. Baleen whales use a highly specialized…

Whales are particularly sensitive to noise, whether human-made or natural. Noise can interfere with their communication and affect their behaviour.…

Since arriving in the Marine Park area, Tic Tac Toe has been observed multiple times with another female nicknamed Snowball.…

In water, light is scarce, but sounds travels quickly. In such an environment, toothed whales such as belugas, sperm whales…

Sperm whales are known and have been hunted for their production of ambergris, a substance of great value that has…

Unlike other mammals, whales do not have hair to protect their skin. Even if they spend little time at the…

The laryngeal sac is a structure found in baleen whales, but also in many other mammals, including primates (but not…

Several species of whales have traits that are well suited to their diving behaviour. For example, the relatively small size…

While feeding at the surface, a Bryde's whale accidentally snatched up a diver, who found himself, from the waist up,…

Estimating the age of marine mammals is more complex than one might think. Few reliable techniques exist to determine the…

Humans have two generations of teeth: deciduous teeth (from the Latin “to fall”) – also called “baby teeth” – and…

North Atlantic right whales have the largest testicles in the animal kingdom. They can exceed 900 kg, which corresponds to…

After birth, a calf remains with its mother at a minimum for the duration of nursing, which varies from a…

Just like us, cetaceans (whales, porpoises, and dolphins) have a range of reasons that can lead to mortality. Because of…

Yes, there are krill in the St. Lawrence in the wintertime. According to a recent study by Dr. Yvan Simard…

By Célia Barathier Harbour porpoises are the subject of very few studies in the St. Lawrence and are therefore much…

Whales are marine mammals that dive for various reasons, such as: feeding and mating. Their prey are found at varying…

By Chloé Vérité A curtain closes, night takes over the sky and during its quiet advance the frantic pace of…

By Célia Baratier In summer, whales find themselves in the St. Lawrence to stock up on food. Krill and fish…

Are the cetaceans targeted by Icelandic or Norwegian whalers the same ones as those that visit us year after year?…

By Célia Baratier This year once again, the research team aboard the BpJAM saw the narwhal! He seems to have…

Seals and sea lions share an ancestor that was exclusively terrestrial. Their physiological evolution has left traces and they must…

Whales are carnivores that feed on small shrimp-like crustaceans. Yet their digestive systems do not resemble those of carnivorous mammals.…

By Célia Baratier Sound travels much faster through water than through air. Whales have taken advantage of this phenomenon thanks…

If ships knew exactly where the whales were, could we reduce the number of collisions? A number of you have…

By François Vachon Ocean water exerts pressure that allows cetaceans to support their mass. Animals such as fin whales and…

By François Vachon To date, no such incident has ever been recorded within the boundaries of the St. Lawrence Estuary.…

By Stéphanie Tremblay This week, a video was swirling around several social media in which a male dolphin could be…

By Stéphanie Tremblay When we see a whale from shore, or even from a boat, it looks quite small. Even…

By Stéphanie Tremblay The differences between certain species are sometimes so imperceptible that they may be mistaken for one another.…

By Stéphanie Tremblay Female belugas reach sexual maturity between the ages of 8 and 14 and can live between 60…

By Stéphanie Tremblay Anyone can recognize a cat in heat, but what about a whale? With the human eye, this…

By Sonia Villalon Despite a few exceptions, pinnipeds and cetaceans do not usually drink. In most cases, water is supplied…

By Maureen Jouglain In this video taken in the summer of 2016 off the land-based Pointe-Noire Interpretation and Observation Centre,…

By Maureen Jouglain The Montréal region alone produces 2/3 of the wastewater in Quebec. The province's second most densely populated…

By Maureen Jouglain From the inflatable boat to the large ferry, every whale-watching boat is equipped with a radar and…

By Maureen Jouglain The rescue operation of the beluga trapped in the Nepisiguit River, New Brunswick, raised the question: how…

By Sonia Villalon The callosities in right whales are irregular patches of thickened and keratinized tissues. These tissues are habitat…

In an interview with Whales Online, phytoplankton ecology researcher Michel Starr from Fisheries and Oceans Canada answers the following question:…

In a number of Whales Online articles, the term "water column" is used. What does this refer to? From the…

When we speak of the St. Lawrence, we often hear the terms “Estuary” and “Gulf”. What do they mean? Where…

Many researchers identify whales using photo-identification, thus by their physical appearance. But can they identify individuals based on their behaviour?…

How is it that 30 plastic bags find their way into the stomach of a cetacean? The issue was raised…

Yes. For example, in 2012 in Monterey Bay, California, a BBC team filmed the intervention of two humpbacks to protect…

According to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it would be the vaquita. This…

Known as breaches in scientific jargon, these leaps out of the water that whales perform serve notably to communicate with…

A recently discovered whale fossil has proven to be an important piece of the puzzle with regard to whale evolution.…

Being that they frequent the same territory, narwhals do occasionally come into contact with belugas in the Arctic, without necessarily…

Predation alone does not generally pose a threat to the sustainability of a population. It is often associated with other…

It's not impossible, but there were no confirmed sightings in the Gulf of St. Lawrence this season. Perhaps it was…

The St. Lawrence River is known for its rich waters and high production of phytoplankton, the basis of the food…

By Olivia Capeillere Several studies support the hypothesis that climate change will have negative impacts on whales. Three main impacts…

Associations between individuals of the same species are well documented in toothed whales. Indeed, the formation of social "clans" has…

Cetaceans are marine mammals, which are adapted to living in the salt waters of the various seas and oceans of…

Toothed whales are generally much smaller than baleen whales. However, the sperm whale is a toothed whale that can grow…

Well before the arrival of the first Europeans, the Iroquois practised traditional whaling in the St. Lawrence River. Archaeological studies…

Today only three populations of gray whales are found in the Pacific Ocean. The North Atlantic population was extirpated in…

There is a common misconception that a kayak has no effect on belugas and other whales because it is a…

In an interview with Hal Whitehead, researcher at Dalhousie University, Canada, Whales Online asked him the following question: What makes…

This is a very difficult question to answer! The "best time" to see cetaceans in the Estuary and Gulf of St.…

Whales generally have four fins: two pectoral fins (instead of arms), a caudal fin (also called the tail) and a…

Collisions between ships and cetaceans are rather frequent and are a recognized cause of cetacean mortality in the world, despite…

Like humans, whales are mammals. They therefore have lungs and breath air at the surface. They are unable to extract…

The Whales Online team asked these questions to researchers who dedicate their time and energy studying the whales of the…

With their imposing size, baleen whales live on an entirely different scale. Their habitat ranges between warm waters where they…

Strictly speaking, a language implies syntax in which word order determines meaning. Studies conducted on dolphins in captivity have shown…

Measuring some twenty metres long and weighing around 100 tonnes, what predator "dares" to attack the largest animal on the…

Whale watching in the Caribbean is an increasingly popular activity. These warm waters are well known for large gatherings of…

The structures responsible for sound production differ between toothed whales and baleen whales, but exactly how they work remains poorly…

A beluga mother typically nurses her offspring for 18 months. At that point, the calf's teeth are very small or…

Recently they have been observed gathered in groups of over 50 individuals, hunting in the tide rips. In the fall,…

Their intestinal flora has characteristics of that of both carnivorous mammals and ruminants. Bacteria similar to those that can degrade…

In order to be able to feed in waters over 1,500 m deep where light is absent, the sperm whale…

Some of the first records of belugas in the St. Lawrence River can be found in Jacques Cartier's travel logs…

[caption id="attachment_14093" align="alignright" width="150"] © Pêches et Océans Canada M Starr[/caption] First and foremost, the many species of phytoplankton are…

The minke whale is a fast and agile predator, but as with any marine mammal, it must come to the…

The bends are a type of decompression sickness associated primarily with divers using a compressed air tank. As the regulator…

Tides – generally two high and two low per day – generate and influence ocean currents. In turn, these currents…

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) authorizes and regulates so-called aboriginal "subsistence" whaling. It is practised today in Greenland (Denmark), Siberia…

A beached animal might be sick, exhausted, injured or disoriented. If it is a young individual, it may be due…

This sensitive topic has been subject of heated debate for decades. The opening of Marine Land Studio in Florida in…

The word “rorqual” comes from the Norwegian rorkval, which means “tubed” or “furrow-bellied” whale. The name refers to the folds…

At the present time, there are very few extinct whales, although some – described later in this article – have…

The digestive systems of whales consists of an esophagus, a compartmentalized stomach (similar to that of ruminants like cows or…

Are sperm whales still hunted? No, not commercially. Nevertheless, a traditional hunt is still practised by residents of the Indonesian…

Surprised by some of the extreme statistics in the physiology of the blue whale, an Internet user asked us this…

In an interview with Véronique Lesage and Thomas Doniol-Valcroze, researchers at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute (Fisheries and Oceans Canada), Whales…