January 2019
-
2019 / 01 / 24
Like a Tornado of Snow
The list of observations this week reads more like a weather report: sea smoke, ice floes, gusts, snow squalls, howling winds. The only sighting comes from Baie-Comeau, where a blue whale was observed...
-
2019 / 01 / 23
Which whale species has the largest testicles?
North Atlantic right whales have the largest testicles in the animal kingdom. They can exceed 900 kg, which corresponds to about 2% of the animal’s total weight. Harbour porpoises have nothing to be...
-
2019 / 01 / 23
Six Newborn Right Whales: A Glimmer of Hope
Update of 12 February 2019: A fifth and a sixth calf has been confirmed. Since North Atlantic right whales have left the frigid waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to return to their wintering grounds,...
-
2019 / 01 / 21
Winter and Seasonal Seals
While harbour seals frequent the waters of the St. Lawrence throughout the year, certain periods are more favourable for observing northern seals that overwinter in the St. Lawrence. But what should w...
-
2019 / 01 / 17
A Rare Blue Whale
January 12: After weeks of seeing nothing but drifting ice and seals on the move, a large spout draws the observer’s attention. The bluish-grey back, the protuberance around the blowhole and the...
-
2019 / 01 / 17
How do calves manage to follow their mothers?
After birth, a calf remains with its mother at a minimum for the duration of nursing, which varies from a few months to a few years, depending on the species. Since calves only drink breast milk early...
-
2019 / 01 / 16
MSc and PHD Scholarship Opportunity for Projects About Belugas
Two Master projects and a PhD project about belugas are recruiting! Master project – UQAR Master project – UQAM PhD project – UQO Master project: Temporal Trend of Emerging Environme...
-
2019 / 01 / 16
An Ancient Whale with Neither Teeth Nor Baleen
Museum collections are full of fossils that haven’t been carefully examined in years. However, by taking a closer look at a 33-million-year-old whale fossil from the Smithsonian’s National Museum ...
-
2019 / 01 / 10
A New Year of Observations Begins
As 2018 was winding down, one observer in Bonaventure in the Gaspé Peninsula observes three tall puffs, all appearing at the same time. There are therefore three whales in Chaleur Bay. He describes t...