Marinis
Beluga
Adopted by The Body Shop Charitable Foundation
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ID number
DL0056
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Sex
Male
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Year of birth
Before 1973
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Known Since
1989
Distinctive traits
Marinis’ main trademark is his triangular gray patch on the right flank. It descends on the other side, making him recognizable from the left flank. The small spots under the dorsal crest on the right flank have faded over the years.
Life history
Marinis was first photographed in 1989. He was white. He was therefore born before 1973.
His large size, habits and social affiliations clearly indicate that Marinis is a male. He is part of the network of males that frequent the downstream sector of the beluga’s summer range between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins.
Marinis is a male beluga. Visually, it is difficult to determine the sex of an individual. Males are generally longer and larger than females. Seeing their genital slits is another way of determining sex, and this is how Marinis’ sex was confirmed. Other possible means are genetic analysis by biopsy, the type of herds frequented, post-mortem examination and, for females, repeated observation in the company of a newborn.
Observations history in the Estuary
Years in which the animal was not observed Years in which the animal was observed
Latest news
We work off Les Bergeronnes on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, close to the Cap de Bon-Désir flats. We spot Marinis in a herd of six adults. He looks emaciated, but his behavior is perfectly normal.
Sponsor
The Body Shop Charitable Foundation adopted Marinis (1990).