Twik
Beluga
Adopted by la clientèle de La Maison Simon
-
ID number
DL0086
-
Sex
Male
-
Year of birth
Unknown
-
Known Since
1977
Distinctive traits
Twik is easily identified by his wide, V-shaped notch in the middle of the dorsal crest. This cut is very deep and allows Twik to be recognized from both sides.
Life history
Thanks to his obvious physical characteristics, Twik is one of the individuals that GREMM has been tracking for over a decade. These long years of tracking are invaluable, enabling the research team to accumulate data on the distribution of the beluga population, such as the duration and frequency of associations between individuals. This in turn enables us to better understand the social behaviours and movements of St. Lawrence belugas.
Observations history in the Estuary
Years in which the animal was not observed Years in which the animal was observed
Latest news
On September 30, 2010, Twik and Trèfle found themselves in the middle of a herd of beluga whales traveling at high speed, all stuck together, in the Anse à la Boule area of the Saguenay. Then, young grays come to investigate our research boat. Curious by nature, these youngsters prevent us from continuing our work. Twik is recognized amongst both adults and youngsters. At the end of the morning, we try to take a biopsy from Trèfle, but the rifle fails and the animal’s behavior becomes difficult to read. We leave the herd, which is beginning to separate, in the ferry area under a light rain.
Sponsor
The clientele of Maison Simons adopted Twik (1990) and Artsea (2017). Shop the collection created for the adoption of Artsea. To learn about the love story between belugas and Simons, click here.