Second minke whale stranded in lévis in one year

Update

On the afternoon of June 6, veterinarian Stéphane Lair conducted a cursory external exam of the minke whale. It was confirmed that the animal is a male minke whale, probably less than one year old. Due to the advanced state of decomposition of the carcass, a complete necropsy could not be conducted. However, samples were taken to allow a researcher from Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Maurice-Lamontagne Institute to complete various analyses, particularly with regard to hormonal levels and diet composition.

Although the exact cause of death remains unknown, the carcass shows no evidence of collision with a vessel or entanglement in fishing gear. Considering the young age of the animal, the most probable hypothesis would be that it was not able to feed alone after it was weaned.

As for its presence in Lévis, an area not typically frequented by whales, the most plausible explanation remains that the floating carcass was dragged by the bow of a ship. A similar incident once resulted in a whale carcass being transported upriver all the way to the port of Montréal.

It should be noted that it is rare to see male minke whales in the St. Lawrence. The first observation of a male was confirmed in 2004. It is generally pregnant females that frequent the Estuary in summer. Even the presence of juveniles is rather unusual. However, with the stranding of a young male minke whale in May 2016, another in June 2017, and the presence of a mother-calf pair near Tadoussac, perhaps we witnessing the beginnings of a new trend. Will we see a change in the way minke whales use the Estuary? Time and observations will tell.

To hear Stéphane Lair’s interviews in the media

Beached whale in Lévis, interview with veterinarian Stéphane Lair (in French, Première heure, Radio-Canada, June 7, 2017)

Another whale stranded on the riverbanks in Lévis (in French, Radio-Canada, June 6, 2017)

Whale carcass found stranded in Lévis (in French, TVA Nouvelles, June 6, 2017)

Second Minke Whale Stranded in Lévis in One Year

On Monday afternoon, a fisherman from the St. Lawrence’s Fluvial Sector reported to Marine Mammal Emergencies a minke whale carcass drifting under the Pierre-Laporte Bridge in the vicinity of Parc de la Chaudière. The carcass finished its course in the flood zone and photos provided by the fisherman revealed that the minke whale was small in size and therefore a juvenile. This story is reminiscent of the stranding of another juvenile minke whale in May 2016, practically in the same area in Lévis.