Magazine
Large Rorquals in Godbout
If you were pacing the shoreline in recent days in search of marine mammals, Godbout was the place to be! The impressive blow of a blue whale was spotted, as were the dark backs of other large rorquals whose exact identity remains a mystery. Seal sightings have been coming in from both sides of the St. Lawrence as drifting ice floes continue to wow locals.
Field Notes
25 Years of Evolution and Passion in the Field
It was 1999, and my life was about to change. I had just completed my studies in biology and was…
On board the Bella Desgagnés, sighting of a North Atlantic right whale
By: Valérie Filion head of the interpreting department aboard the Bella Desgagnés for the Marine Mammal Observation Network (MMON) My…
Japan’s Ogasawara Islands: Expedition to Collect Cetacean Sounds and Images
There are many places around the world that lend themselves to watching whales, but some of them are unique. Last…
Field Report
Over the years…
July 7, 2025: It’s early in the morning, and I'm waiting for news from the research team. Will weather conditions…
BpJAM in Action: A Preparation as Massive as the Animals Being Studied!
Several weeks ago, when I was asked to author a report about an outing on the BpJAM, one of GREMM’s…
Beluga Monitoring Aboard Antarès
At the Tadoussac marina, the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) research team boards the boat at…
Hot Topics
Round-up of 2025 North Atlantic Right Whale News
After being hunted for hundreds of years, the North Atlantic right whale currently faces a number of threats, including entanglements…
ROUND-UP OF 2024 NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE NEWS
After being hunted for centuries, today’s North Atlantic right whales face many challenges, including entanglements with fishing gear, ship strikes…
Round-up of 2023 North Atlantic Right Whale News
After being hunted for centuries, today’s North Atlantic right whales face many challenges, including entanglements with fishing gear, ship strikes…
Marine Mammal Emergencies
First Beluga Carcass of the Year Recovered in the Magdalen Islands
Sunday, January 18: The Marine Mammal Emergencies (UMM) telephone rings. Cédric Gascon, a technician and UMM responder for the past…
Beached Fin Whale: QMMERN Takes to the Field After Bp919 Found Stranded
On October 24, 2025, Marine Mammal Emergencies (UMM) received a call concerning a large dead whale stranded on the shores…
News
How’s the St. Lawrence doing?
Rising water temperatures, acidification, dwindling ice cover, plastic and chemical contaminants… The changes currently taking place in the St. Lawrence…
The Hidden Superpowers of Whales
Whale excrement, in addition to being a sort of fertilizer for the oceans, is useful to scientists, providing insight into…
Low Numbers of Large Rorquals in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park in 2025: Exception, or the New Norm? – Part Two
Between mid-June and mid-September, as part of its annual large rorqual census in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, GREMM’s Large…
Observation of the Week
Large Rorquals in Godbout
If you were pacing the shoreline in recent days in search of marine mammals, Godbout was the place to be!…
Belugas in the Estuary and Pinnipeds Aplenty
It’s early February, and the sunlight pierces through the cloudless Tadoussac sky. From the windows of the Whales Online office,…
Plentiful seals and extensive ice… But where are all the cetaceans?
The frosty January days are making whale watching more challenging! Have the fin whales deserted the St. Lawrence River, or…
Whale Q&A
Your questions about beluga reproduction!
The Whale Watch team and the team of naturalists at the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM) regularly receive questions about…
Why did so many large rorquals visit the St. Lawrence this spring?
Early 2025 was a particularly intense period for observing large rorquals in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. Whether it be…
A Smirk with a Purpose!
Belugas are known for their expressive faces, but what’s behind their endearing smirk? From an “O”-shaped mouth to water spitting…