Field Notes
SPRING 2025: A BUSY CALENDAR FOR QMMERN
The year has been a busy one so far for QMMERN, with numerous cases of harassment and disturbance of seal…
Beluga Mortality Report : Few Carcasses Found in 2024
Only six beluga carcasses were found in 2024, the lowest figure in several years. By comparison, there were 17 carcasses…
California: Marine Life with Flair!
Last March, I had the opportunity to travel to Morro Bay, a small seaside village in central California. The sea…
What can we learn from research on St. Lawrence seals?
On a beach along the St. Lawrence lies the carcass of a harbour seal. Standing out against the brownish seaweed…
Five Good Reasons to Leave Young Seals Alone
Over the past week, the presence of harp seal pups on the beaches of the Magdalen Islands and the Gaspé…
Coastal Bird Monitoring in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park
By : Pierre-Alexandre Dumas, coécrit avec Eliza-Jane Morin It’s 8 a.m. and I'm joining my team at the Parks Canada office…
Field Notes: Whale Bone Hodgepodge!
This day off promises to be a special one. Together with Yael, another one of GREMM’s seasonal workers this year,…
A 2024 Season Marked by Diversity
On both sides of the St. Lawrence, cetaceans and pinnipeds made the telephone lines of the Marine Mammal Emergency Centre…
Baie Sainte-Marguerite: A Day in the Privileged Life of a Research Assistant
By Jade-Audrey Lavergne, GREMM research assistant A day in Baie Sainte-Marguerite means being dazzled by a number of things: the…
In Search of Marine Mammals in Cape Breton
Last September, I set off to explore Cape Breton Island. This region of Nova Scotia is well known for a…
Out-of-Habitat Seals
It is not unusual to see seals in the upper reaches of the St. Lawrence River (article in French)… sometimes…
Stranded Beaked Whale on Île d’Orléans
On October 23, the carcass of a northern bottlenose whale was discovered on the banks of Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d’Orléans, near Quebec City.…
Mackie Greene: A Whale’s Hero
Mackie Greene is one of the co-founders of the Campobello Whale Rescue Teams in New Brunswick and recently took part…
Destination Belugas with CacounAir
Par Sami Jay Wagner-Beaulieu et Hugo Catineau, techniciens pilote de drone pour la brigade béluga rive sud The arrival of…
Summer as a GREMMlin
Breaches, interviews, conferences and carcasses: Talk about the most amazing summer ever for a whale enthusiast! I was very lucky…
Heading for the Saguenay Fjord with Antarès
Tuesday, August 27, 8:00 a.m.: I’m due to meet the research team of Tadoussac’s Group for Research and Education on Marine…
New challenges for whale disentanglement operations
Right whales range along the eastern coast of North America, 85% of North Atlantic right whales have been entangled at…
How can we minimize the risk of entanglement?
It is estimated that 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die globally from entanglement every year. Disentanglement efforts have had little…
Out-of-Habitat Cetaceans
What a surprise it was for Montréal’s urbanites when a humpback whale visited the city’s port in 2020! This event…
Understanding the Effects of Physical and Chemical Water Conditions on Underwater Noise
By : Sarah Duquette, resource management technician for Parks Canada This morning, my alarm went off at 5:30 and, believe me,…
Setting Sail with White-sided Dolphins
By Estelle Pagé It’s 6 in the morning, and my sailing shift has just begun. After six days in the…
Encounter with a Beached Minke Whale
I’m riding the ferry between Trois-Pistoles and Les Escoumins when my phone rings. To be honest, I miss the call…
Tic Tac Toe – Live
The humpback whale Tic Tac Toe has been back in the Marine Park since May 29. Images transmitted to the…
2023 Beluga Mortality Assessment: The Trend Continues
According to data from the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN), last year saw the recovery of 17 beluga…
Satellite Teams: Strengthening QMMERN’s Response Capacity across Quebec’s Vast Territory
With fewer phone calls coming into Marine Mammal Emergencies (UMM) in winter than during the high season, it’s the perfect…
Container Ship in Distress in the Estuary: QMMERN on Alert
7 Short Blasts and 1 Long Blast “I was woken up by seven short blasts followed by one long one.…
Humpback Observed Earlier This Summer Washes Up in the Gaspé
On Wednesday, October 25, a humpback whale carcass washed up in Saint-Maxime-du-Mont-Louis in the Gaspé Peninsula. It was a male…
Stranded Sperm Whale on the North Shore
On November 6, flying above the gulf fifteen kilometres from the village of Baie-Johan-Beetz, a helicopter pilot notices a greyish…
Whales in the Flesh!
Friday morning, September 22, 2023. Warning: Not for the faint of heart! I wake up shortly after dawn. The golden…
In Search of Large Rorquals
It's 5:45 a.m., and I'm already awake and excitedly waiting for news from the research team of the Group for…
Humpback Whales: Between River and Sky
September 14, 2023 will remain a date forever engraved in my memory. It was a strange and surreal day, Which…
Mysteries of the Depths: Discover the Surprises Unearthed from the Seabed during Sediment Sampling in the Estuary
By Eliza-Jane Morin, Resource Management Officer, Parks Canada During the summer months, the Parks Canada conservation team in the Saguenay-St.…
Predator-Prey Monitoring: Incursion into the Food Chain of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park
Once a week during the summer season, we carry out predator-prey monitoring in the lower estuary. The objective of this…
A Week on Gros-Cacouna Mountain
By Cristiane Albuquerque, ecologist and acting team lead at the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park I had the opportunity to spend…
A Day Aboard the Ciktek in Pursuit of the Harbour Seal
Today, June 21, 2023, is National Indigenous Peoples Day. I want to emphasize this, since I will be sailing on…
Best Practices to Adopt Near Seals
Although they are marine mammals, pinnipeds carry out a number of their most important activities out of water. Indeed, napping,…
The Little Seal in Ragueneau
It’s late morning on Friday, June 2, when the phone rings. It’s the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN)…
Two Breathtaking Scenes
The slow start to the 2023 season in the Lower Estuary continues, with still very few observations of large whales.…
Satellite Tagging: One More Step Toward Helping Entangled Cetaceans in Quebec
On May 23 and 24, several members of the team from the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) and…
A Strange Start to the 2023 Season…
I like it when these field notes are representative of our daily observations on the water. It goes without saying…
Return of Tic Tac Toe
To begin these field notes, we first need to travel back in time to September 1999. It was one of…
Exciting Spring Arrivals
Another season is underway, and here I am once again with field notes that you will find posted on this…
40th Year of Beluga Carcass Recovery Program: Persistent Concerns in 2022
Over the past year, 12 beluga carcasses were discovered adrift or on the shores of the St. Lawrence by the…
Tale of a Migration to Mexico
Since 2019, I ‘ve been making an annual migration to Mexico for a few months each year, more precisely to…
A Brief Guide to Partial Necropsy
As part of a training course, my colleague and UMM technician Méduline Chailloux and I met on a Saturday morning…
A “GREMMlin” at IMPAC5
From February 3 to 9, the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress, IMPAC5, was held in Vancouver. The event was…
Winter Pupping Season: A Risky Affair
The diminishing ice cover observed in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence in recent years is having an impact…
Winter Pupping Season: A Risky Affair
The diminishing ice cover observed in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence in recent years is having an impact…
Advancing Marine Mammal Research, One Sample at a Time
When a marine mammal carcass is found stranded or adrift in the waters of the St. Lawrence, the Quebec Marine…
A day at the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network
Saturday, September 17: The weather is beautiful and the participants of the Béluga Ultra Trail (web page in French) race…
Deep-water denizen stranded in Sept-Îles
Last October 23, a True’s beaked whale beached itself and died in the Bay of Sept-Îles. The causes of this…
Avian Flu: First Documented Case in Cetaceans in Quebec
Last September, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network received a report of an Atlantic white-sided dolphin carcass near Rimouski.…
Teamwork for Whale Protection
Protecting the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park requires teamwork. Research makes it possible to better understand various issues related to the…
Recovery of a white-sided dolphin carcass in Rimouski
In the early afternoon of Monday, September 5, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network call centre receives a report…
Eyes on the water
Every summer since 2003, the Parks Canada team has been scrutinizing the waters in and around Baie Sainte-Marguerite to tally…
The Belugas of Cacouna
“Hey look! Over there! A beluga!” Posted on our observation platform on the sacred mountain of Gros-Cacouna, Sami and I…
Invasive Aquatic Species Project
The week of July 11 to 15 marked the second year of sampling for our project in collaboration with Fisheries…
Marine Observation Activities
Since 1994, sampling has been conducted on nearly 3,000 excursionsin the heart of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park by the…
Harbour Seals in St. Lawrence Affected by Avian Flu
Last June, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) received an abnormally high number of reports of dead or…
Entangled Humpback – A Chronicle
On Wednesday, July 13, a humpback whale was spotted off the coast of Les Escoumins accompanied by a calf that…
A Day in the Field with the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network
On the evening of June 20, 2022, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) gets wind that a harbour…
A Day in Good Company
On Sunday, July 3, a minke whale carcass was found on Île Vertein Quebec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent region. This is practically the…
Tracking harbour seals in the fjord – a memorable first day in the field! June 6, 2022
The arrival of spring is synonymous with change. The days are getting longer, multiple species of whales are returning to…
Spring 2022: A Busy Season for QMMERN
Seal pups harassed on the beaches, discovery of pinniped carcasses along the shores, vagrant minke whales in Montréal: these are…
Seals That Don’t Need Our Help
Spring is here and the seal pupping season is in full swing. The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN)…
Minke whale updates
This page is dedicated to the presence of two minke whales in the waters of Montreal. It is updated several…
Minke Whales in Montreal – Your Questions
Two minke whales have been observed in Montreal, near St. Helen's Island. The first individual has been in the area…
First Beluga Carcass Discovered in Les Escoumins
This is the first beluga whale carcass recovered for the 2022 season under the carcass recovery program initiated in 1983.…
What does GREMM do in winter? (2/2)
[Continuation of article “What does GREMM do in winter? (2/2)”] Every winter, when the whales leave the Estuary, many of…
Mortality 2021: An Ominous Year for Belugas
2021 will be no exception. Once again, researchers and specialists are concerned by the mortalities being observed in the St.…
Spring Arrivals
Every year, when the month of April kicks off in the Haute-Côte-Nord region, an indescribable emotion begins to flow through…
What does GREMM do in winter? (1/2 )
When fall arrives and the whales leave the St. Lawrence Estuary for the winter, GREMM takes its boats out of…
Humpback Whale ‘Rumba’ in Mexico
For the past few years, I’ve been making the occasional winter trip to Mexico, just for the sake of warming…
Volunteers Needed for Marine Mammal Emergencies
Volunteers are our eyes and our hands in the field. In addition to helping the scientific community gain vital knowledge…
Destination Azores with Expedition Glacialis (Part 2 of 2: The Science)
By Mathieu Marzelière with the collaboration of Laurence Tremblay [Continuation of article “Destination Azores with Expedition Glacialis (Part 1 of…
Destination Azores with Expedition Glacialis (Part 1 of 2: Marine Fauna)
By Mathieu Marzelière with the collaboration of Laurence Tremblay Laurence and I work for GREMM as research assistants. For several…
Twelve Years of Encounters with Humpback Whale H626 (a.k.a. BBR/Gaspar)
For many years now, I have regularly gone out on the water every summer as well as a good part…
Marine Mammal Emergencies on the Ready this Holiday Season
While the end-of-year holidays are a good time to relax and celebrate with family, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response…
2021 Season Raises Questions
By René Roy For several years now, I’ve been plying the waters of the St. Lawrence in order to observe…
2021: Another Busy Year for Marine Mammal Emergencies
By Mélissa Tremblay, Head of the Marine Mammal Emergencies call centre Beginning in November, Marine Mammal Emergencies (UMM) generally receives…
One Final Outing…
By Renaud Pintiaux, naturalist and wildlife photographer The whale-watching season in the waters between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins ended…
With the Belugas… Collecting Biopsies
By Laura Zeppetelli This fall, I had the opportunity to leave my office in downtown Montréal to board the Bleuvet…
Why is it important not to touch a marine mammal carcass?
By Marie-Maude Rondeau Ever heard of Valleau, the sperm whale whose carcass washed ashore in L’Anse-à-Valleau in 2003? Today, this…
Two Beaked Whales Stranded Alive in Chaleur Bay
On Thursday, September 30, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) receives a report of two whales stranded alive…
With the Belugas… An overview of our 2021 projects
By Alexandre Bernier-Graveline How do you imagine the day-to-day life of a member of GREMM’s research team? Hair blowing in…
With the mobile team… and a beluga carcass
By Marie-Maude Rondeau This summer, I’m working as a responder for the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN). I’m…
WITH THE BELUGAS… OUR FIRST FIELD SEASON ON GRANDE-ÎLE
By Jaclyn Aubin This summer, I was lucky enough to pass two weeks on the Grande-Île de Kamouraska, accompanied by…
With the Large – and Awe Inspiring! – Rorquals
By Mathieu Roy As a research assistant, I have the chance to spend part of my days aboard whale-watching cruises…
With visitors (and belugas!)… at the Pointe-Noire Interpretation and Observation Centre
Whether on water or on land, the research activities carried out by the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM)…
Wounded seal: what to do?
As you pace the shores of the St. Lawrence, you come face to face with a seal. So far, nothing…
Writing a Popular Science Article in 10 Easy Steps
In my after-work hours, I write poetry. Drafting texts on whales is quite new to me. When I joined the…
With large rorquals… in the rain!
My name is Stéphanie, and I’m one of GREMM’s (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals) research assistants for…
A Beautiful Story of Collaboration, from the Caribbean to the St. Lawrence
Many of the humpback whales observed in summer in the St. Lawrence spend part of the winter in their breeding…
Beached Fin Whale in Forillon National Park
On June 19, an employee of Forillon National Park discovers a fin whale carcass at the bottom of a cliff…
Belugas, Belugas Everywhere: Overview of Out-of-Range Belugas this Spring
From Matane and Bonaventure, Quebec to Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, belugas seem to be everywhere this…
Migration in Full Swing
Migration is truly underway in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and is in full swing at the tip of the…
Field Season Debut and the Return of Two Stars: Tic Tac Toe and Ti-Croche!
Back on the water for the 2021 season. It should be a great summer offshore, between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins.…
Busy Start to the Season at Marine Mammal Emergencies
As is the case every year, the arrival of warm, sunny days is synonymous with an uptick in the number…
Leatherback Turtle Carcass in Gaspé
In late April, a local resident discovers a very decomposed carcass on Haldimand Beach in Gaspé. All that remains are…
Protecting Young Harbour Seals on the Beaches
In May and June, many residents will have the opportunity to observe young seals on the beaches, as it is…
One year later, what can we learn from the humpback whale’s journey from Québec City to Montréal?
It left millions astonished, concerned, dazzled and sensitized, even as the province was under lockdown. The juvenile (2 to 4 years…
Resting, Pupping and Moulting: The Importance of Getting Out of the Water for Seals
Even if they are marine mammals, seals have to return to land for some of their activities. Amphibious in nature,…
First Beluga Carcass of 2021 Found in Tadoussac
On March 27, a beluga carcass was discovered in Tadoussac by an individual who was out for a stroll. The…
Seals Invade the Shorelines
Now that the ice has receded from the St. Lawrence, seals must find new platforms out of the water to…
Exciting Observation that Sparks Bad Memories
On February 19, a senior officer of a cargo ship passing through the St. Lawrence Estuary photographed blue whales off…
Harbour Porpoise Succombs to Dolphin Attacks
For the harbour porpoise, human activities are not the only threats it faces. The smallest cetacean in the St. Lawrence…
With the Belugas… Seen and Measured from the Sky!
By Alexandre Bernier-Graveline and Mathieu Marzelière For GREMM’s research team, winter is usually synonymous with compiling, processing and analyzing images…
Young Grey Seal Found in Magdalen Island Interior
When a young grey seal is found nearly a kilometre inland in the Magdalen Islands, what’s the best course of…
Following Comprehensive Analysis, Cause of Death of Montréal Humpback Remains Undetermined
Despite having analyzed cross-referenced data on the body condition, behaviour and the carcass of a female humpback that visited Montréal,…
Rare Striped Dolphin Discovered in Maliotenam
It is quite unusual for a striped dolphin to be found anywhere in the St. Lawrence, to say the least.…
Cetacean Stranded Alive: Call First
Whether it is a whale, a porpoise or a dolphin that you find stranded on the beach or swimming in…
The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network Thanks Its 187 Volunteers
What would the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) be without its 187 volunteers? Thanks to the 160 hours…
Dolphin Runs Aground in Magdalen Islands But Returns to Sea
A dolphin found itself in an awkward position on November 21 near Gros-Cap, in the Magdalen Islands. Out for a…
The ice is back… And so are the winter seals!
Whether on shore, on the rocks or on ice, seals can appear throughout the Gulf of St. Lawrence or the…
With the Belugas… Season Ends with First Snow
Field notes written in collaboration with Laurence Tremblay A field season full of surprises is coming to an end for…
Beluga Carcass in Cacouna
A beluga carcass washed up in Cacouna on October 18, 2020. This young male is the fifteenth beluga to be…
Right Whales in the Estuary: Exceptional Response for an Exceptional Presence
Among its many missions, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) manages cases of marine mammals known as “vagrants”,…
Harbour porpoise or beluga?
Although the beluga is sometimes referred to as a “white porpoise” and has several similarities to the harbour porpoise, the terms “beluga”…
With visitors… at the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic
Whether on water or on land, the research activities carried out by the Group for Research and Education on Marine…
With the belugas… photographed from shore
Since 8 o’clock in the morning, GREMM (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals) research assistant Mathieu Marzelière has…
Seals in Town
In 2020, four different species of seals were observed in the Montréal metropolitan region, hundreds of kilometres from their normal…
Troubled Humpback in the Marine Park
Updated to August 25, 2020 Despite active search parties by fishery officers and collaborators, the entangled humpback whale was not…
Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network Sets Up Mobile Team
In order to be able to respond more quickly and efficiently to emergencies involving marine mammals along the shores of…
With the Large Rorquals… New Mothers and a Whale Swimming Backward!
What a pleasure it is to cross paths with large rorquals! This week, we encountered two blue whales, nearly a…
Inside the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network Call Centre
What happens on the other end of the line while and after a case is reported to the Quebec Marine…
Reporting Carcasses: What’s the point?
The answer is simple: by reporting a carcass to the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN), you are helping…
With the Belugas… And Start of the 2020 Season
This year, GREMM’s (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals) season of field research kicked off on June 15.…
Skeletons Moved to Tadoussac’s Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre
Friday, May 15, 9:30 a.m. Fully dressed and knapsack ready to go, I can hardly wait to kick off this special…
Young Bearded Seal in Laval
A young bearded seal is observed from June 23 to June 28 at the BoBiNo marina in Laval. This species…
What is the purpose of this tag and chord?
Many people are concerned by the tags and chords they occasionally see attached to a seal or whale carcass. Sometimes,…
Various Cases Keeping Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network Busy
Although all the projectors have been on the stray humpback whale between Québec City and Montréal, this individual is not the…
Dead Humpback Found in Varennes Victim of Ship Strike
On June 10, the team from Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine performed a necropsy on the whale, meaning…
Visiting Humpback in Fluvial Estuary (Québec City – Montréal)
The humpback as an ambassador for a greater cause We understand the emotional aspect of the situation. Local residents who…
Sometimes, Best Way to Help Whale is to Leave It Alone
Many people have been writing to us to express their concern about the humpback whale currently in Montréal. We appreciate…
Dawn of a Promising Season
A few days ago, I set sail out of Matane with a friend of mine. In the protected waters between…
2019 Beluga Mortality Report
“Mortality figures for 2019 are hardly reassuring,” comments Robert Michaud, scientific director for the Group for Research and Education on…
First Beluga Carcass of 2020 on the Shores of the St. Lawrence
A beluga carcass washed ashore in Matane late in the day on May 15. This is the first case this…
Vagrant Alert: Beluga Seen in Chaleur Bay Area
On April 15, a beluga was observed in Chaleur Bay near Saint-Siméon-de-Bonaventure, in the Gaspé Peninsula. Witnesses contacted the Quebec…
Quiet Oceans: Has The Covid-19 Crisis Reduced Noise In Whale Habitats?
By Valeria Vergara, researcher with Ocean Wise’s Marine Mammal Conservation Research Program, specialist of acoustic communication in beluga whales and collaborator…
Intriguing Cases Involving Seals in the Magdalen Islands
Seven seal carcasses were reported in the Magdalen Islands and one in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region over the weekend of April…
New Measures: Impact of COVID-19 on Capacity to Respond to Marine Mammal Emergencies
In order to comply with current government guidelines for COVID-19, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) is continually…
Impact of COVID-19 on Emergency Response Capacity of Marine Mammal Emergencies
The Marine Mammal Emergencies call centre remains active as usual, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. If you…
Catch Me If You Can: A Week at the Saddle Island Haulout
6:30 a.m.: The alarm goes off, sounding the start of a new day in the field. I’m not in Tadoussac,…
Skeleton Preparations Move Forward
At the time of his most recent interview with a Whales Online intern in the fall of 2018, Michel Martin,…
Is ice a significant natural threat to blue whales in the Gulf?
Revisiting the photos I took this past summer, I pondered some of the specific markings I had observed on blue…
A busy season for 1-877-7BALEINE, and it’s not over yet!
The summer 2019 season has drawn to a close. It’s time for the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN)…
A Speckled Humpback… by Anik Boileau
By Anik Boileau, Veterinary Science Researcher and Director of CERSI With the arrival of fall in the Sept-Îles region, it’s…
With the Belugas… Their Newborns and the Narwhal
October 9: an Indian summer day, a calm St. Lawrence, spectacular fall foliage… the BpJAM sets sail for one of its…
With the belugas… and their blubber
By Valerie Jolicoeur, master student at UQAM This fall, I embarked on a major Master’s project that focuses on the…
End-of-season field notes 2017 (part II)
The last trip offshore for the year took place on November 4. Here is the second part of these Field…
With the belugas… And their amusing behaviours
September 6: While part of the team is returning from Alaska to lend a hand to researchers studying the beluga…
Humpback Entangled off Forillon Park
Late in the day on August 25, 2019, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network receives a report for a…
With Large Rorquals… and Their Gaping Mouths
By Maude-Émilie Bourque August 28, 2019: it’s my last day as a volunteer research assistant for the GREMM this season.…
With the large rorquals… The biggest!
By Maude-Émilie Bourque Sunday, August 25, 2019. I leave for Grandes-Bergeronnes at the crack of dawn with my equipment: camera…
Live Stranded Sowerby’s Beaked Whale Near Île Verte
On the afternoon of August 25, a beaked whale is observed dangerously close to the shores of Île Verte. The…
With the belugas… under water
On the morning of July 26, the Bleuvet sets sail from the port of Tadoussac to study belugas. With 6 people on…
Twelfth Beluga Carcass This Year Found on the Banks of the St. Lawrence
A beluga carcass washed up in the Gaspé town of Les Méchins on August 6. The newborn beluga still had…
With the Belugas… Out Fishing!
July 3, 2019: The BpJAM is back at sea for the 2019 field season, with the same crew as last…
Female beluga DL0584 dies while giving birth
An eighth beluga carcass washed up on the banks of the St. Lawrence River on July 4. The individual has…
Two New Carcasses and Second Right Whale Necropsy for 2019
The Government of Canada announced in a press release that it had discovered two new carcasses offshore, near the Acadian…
Entangled Minke Whale in Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park
A minke whale ensnared in fishing rope was reported to the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) by passengers of…
With the Belugas… And Listening In!
By Mathieu Marzelière At last! GREMM’s 2019 field season is officially underway. This first week was devoted to Fisheries and…
A Blue Whale At Last!
I finally encountered my first large rorqual of the season! And it was about time: I had already travelled 240…
Beluga Belatedly Heads Back to Rejoin its Pod!
Since April 23, a beluga that could be described as a “vagrant” has been observed around the Gaspé Peninsula. The…
Young seal on the beach: leave it alone
Every year, the months of May and June represent the pupping season for harbour seals. During this period, the Quebec…
Travelling “down south”… by Albert Michaud
By Albert Michaud This winter, I had the chance to leave Quebec and go “down South”. Not to the Caribbean…
With the belugas: the fascinating work behind beluga pairing (part 2!)
In last week’s Field Notes, we presented the preparatory steps for beluga matching. This week, discover how the team adds…
With the Belugas: The Fascinating Work Behind Beluga Pairing
One of the pillars of the research conducted at the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals(GREMM) is photo-identification.…
What should I do in the event of an incidental catch?
In Quebec, the crab and shrimp fishery got underway a few weeks ago. Despite all the efforts made to prevent…
Humpback Entangled in 2017 Spotted Alive!
The resilience of whales never ceases to amaze us! By analyzing photos taken in the summer of 2018, the Mingan…
Winter and Seasonal Seals
While harbour seals frequent the waters of the St. Lawrence throughout the year, certain periods are more favourable for observing…
My week at the whale warehouse
It all started with Marie-Ève, my Editor-in-Chief, asking me, “Would you like to spend a week with skeletons, Jass?” Next…
1-877-7Baleine Still Active Throughout the Holidays!
Even if snow covers the shores of the St. Lawrence, Marine Mammal Emergencies continues its work. Throughout the winter, the…
Marine Animal Response Society (MARS) – Nova Scotia, Canada
Marine Animal Response Society (MARS) Nova Scotia, Canada No matter where you are on the planet, marine mammals have allies.…
The Nepisiguit River beluga… off Prince Edward Island
Professional scuba diving students were surprised to be joined by a beluga whale during a dive in Summerside Harbour last…
Thank you, Marine Mammal Emergencies volunteers!
On the occasion of International Volunteer Day (December 5), we would like to highlight the important contributions made by the…
The last one from sea
It is the end of the 2018 season on the water but there is still life at sea. It is…
A sperm whale in front of the dunes of Tadoussac
Gloomy weather, but the river is calm on this October 29th as I embark on the Grand Fleuve for a whale-watching excursion.…
Worrying St. Lawrence beluga mortality trend continues in 2018
The tragic plight of the St. Lawrence beluga population continues. Once again this year, researchers are highly concerned about the…
With the belugas… at full throttle!
Clear blue sky, low winds, calm sea… The perfect conditions for a productive day of photo-identification and photogrammetry. All we…
Beached minke whale carcass at Pointe-aux-Outardes
On the morning of September 22, a minke whale carcass appeared off the coast of Pointe-aux-Outardes Nature Park. After drifting…
Rare Sowerby’s beaked whale found in Rivière-au-Tonnerre
A beaked whale was discovered stranded in Rivière-au-Tonnerre on September 17. Initial photos of the carcass immediately intrigued the Quebec…
With the belugas… Hot to trot!
By Mathieu Marzelière and Albert Michaud Monday, August 27, 2018. Aboard the BpJAM, we set out of the Tadoussac port…
With the belugas… including one without a tail!
Monday, August 13, 2018: At the crack of dawn, the BpJAMM crew heads out toward the mid-channel buoy in perfect…
With the belugas… and the unexpected on board the Bleuvet!
On Wednesday, August 8, the Bleuvet team was on the water searching for a herd of belugas to carry out…
“Mom, can you hear me?” season #2
By Valeria Vergara and Marie-Ana Mikus (guest researchers from Ocean Wise Conservation Association) Time flies on the beluga research tower…
Well-known beluga dies
July 29, 2018, 2:40 p.m.: the phone rings, breaking the silence at the Marine Mammal Emergencies call centre. Two recreational boaters…
With the belugas… and their waist measurements!
Although this technique is already used in other cetacean species – including killer whales and right whales – it is…
With the Belugas… And a Narwhal!
By Mathieu Marzelière and Albert Michaud A new season is getting underway aboard GREMM's Zodiac, the BpJAM. New season, new…
Two new beluga carcasses found in Bas-Saint-Laurent
Two beluga carcasses were found just two days apart in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. The first carcass reported on July 9…
Back at the tower: a second season in Baie-Sainte-Marguerite
By Jaclyn Aubin Last Saturday, as I hauled myself up onto the platform of the tower, I felt a flutter…
With the belugas – GREMM kicks off new season
With new projects being launched this year and continuing regular beluga monitoring, the 2018 field season promises to be rich…
Entangled whales: a complex situation
Coordinating a disentanglement Every year, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (RQUMM) receives reports of marine mammals entangled in…
A history of fidelity
Friday, June 8: after being notified of 3 blue whales purportedly present in the Gaspé region, I decide to head…
Ti-Croche, artiste and a minke whale in the air
A look back at the observations of the last two weeks off Tadoussac. At the end of May, it was…
Young live seal on the river banks: do not disturb!
If you see a young seal on the beach, let it rest. The months of May and June are pupping…
Seals: topic of interest at marine mammals emergencies
Nearly a dozen seal carcasses were reported to 1-877-7baleine in April, and soon the first reports of pups will also…
Start of 2018 season on the St. Lawrence: a beautiful transition!
Whale-watching cruises in the Tadoussac region resumed on April 27. After six months on land, what a joy it is…
Local residents, fishermen and boaters requested to report any dead or vulnerable marine mammal to 1-877-7baleine
With the return of mild temps and melting ice, this is the time of year when residents, fishermen and boat…
Reminder to fishermen: report all entangled whales to 1-877-7baleine
The commercial fishing season is well underway. This is the time of year when Mammal Marine Emergencies reminds fishermen that…
Belugas: first carcass for 2018 and recap of 2017
On March 26, the first beluga carcass of 2018 was reported to 1-877-7baleine at Coin-du-Banc in the Gaspé Peninsula. The carcass was…
Humpback stranded in magdalen islands: questions & answers
On Sunday, March 25, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network received a call concerning a beached humpback whale in the surf at Étang-du-Nord…
The humpbacks of Mazatlan
Thursday, January 4, 2018: while a weather bomb is pummelling Quebec, I have an appointment at 7:30 in the morning…
What kind of seal is that?
One observer reported a seal carcass found in Cacouna to the Marine Mammals Emergencies call centre. What species is it?…
Return of winter seals: two new sightings
Nordic visitors were spotted last weekend in the Gaspé as well as in the Bellechasse region upstream of the Estuary.…
Return of winter seals
In these early days of autumn, seals that spend their winters in the waters of the St. Lawrence are returning…
End-of-season field notes 2017 (part I)
The field season ended on November 4. But there are still quite noteworthy observations (marine mammals, birds, landscapes) and two…
Stranded newborn beluga in Alaska still in intensive care
Since being found stranded alive on September 30, the newborn beluga of the Cook Inlet population is still in intensive…
Fresh beluga carcass found in Saint-ulric
The Matane unit of Sureté du Québec contacted 1-877-7baleine after a resident stopped by the station to report a live…
Extremely Rare Beaked Whale Species Stranded in Magdalen Islands
Two carcasses are found side by side on the Pointe-aux-Loups beach on October 13. Observers initially believe they have found…
With the belugas: week of october 16, 2017
The 2017 season is over! Autumn is already well upon us in Tadoussac, the sailboats have been taken out of…
From the sea to the lab: the journey of a beluga carcass (3/3)
In the past two weeks, we’ve tracked the journeys of beluga carcasses from the open sea to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine…
With the belugas: week of october 2, 2017
A difficult autumn… For the past two weeks, the weather has not been on our side. A significant number of…
Rescue in Progress: Stranded Newborn Beluga in Alaska
It measures just 162 cm and weighs a mere 64.5 kg. A newborn beluga just two to four weeks old was found…
With the belugas: week of september 25, 2017
Hunters on the Prowl! A few weeks ago, we observed a beluga whale spitting on the water surface to hunt herring.…
From the sea to the lab: the journey of a beluga carcass (2/3)
From Necropsy to Microscope Last week, we tracked the journey of a female beluga from drifting offshore to the Faculty of Veterinary…
With the belugas: week of september 18, 2017
This week, we are giving the floor to Alexandre Bernier-Graveline, UQAM Master’s candidate in bioaccumulation and the effects of environmental…
From the sea to the lab: the journey of a beluga carcass (1/3)
Follow the stages of a beluga carcass recovery, from the initial report to the trip to the Faculty of Veterinary…
With the belugas… in Alaska: week of september 1, 2017
Belugas in the Mud From September 1 to 9, we were back in Anchorage, Alaska, for a second year in…
1-877-7baleine still active as autumn draws near
With the beginning of the school year, the crowds of vacationers are thinning out on the shores of the St.…
With the Belugas: Week of August 28, 2017
From May to October, five days a week, the Bleuvet criss-crosses the St. Lawrence River in search of herds of…
A summer overshadowed by right whale mortalities
The Marine Mammal Emergencies call centre has already handled nearly 200 cases and just over 350 calls this year. These figures are…
With the Belugas: Week of August 21, 2017
August 21: The Bleuvet is stationed off of L'Anse-à-la-Boule. The weather is particularly calm. Amidst the last patches of fog…
Whale soup
Monday morning, August 7. My vacation kicks off and pushes me to the opposite coastline, in the direction of the…
Marine mammal emergencies season in full swing
With the call centre team handling dozens of calls daily already in these first few days of August, the season…
Harbour Porpoise: Investigation in the Marine Park!
It all begins on the morning of July 10, 2017, a rather ordinary day. The weather is fairly mild, visibility…
With the belugas: weeks of July 10 and 17, 2017
Our team began to see the first calves of the year several weeks ago already, but in the past two…
A great show in Gaspesie
When you take a whale-watching trip, you need to be lucky to observe a breaching session. To watch two such…
In Pursuit of the Fin Whale
Last July 13, 2017, I spent my day on the water in search of large rorquals to photograph. The weather…
My most faithful humpback
According to data provided by the Mingan Island Cetacean Study, the humpback whale H626 (MICS catalogue number) – known as…
With the Belugas: Week of July 3, 2017
Identifying Individual Belugas Belugas are not one of the most easily recognizable whale species. They do not systematically show their…
Who am I?
Teeming with marine life, the St. Lawrence Estuary is a wonderful place. As a research assistant at the Group for…
With the belugas: week of June 26, 2017
Belugas of Baie Sainte-Marguerite Baie Sainte-Marguerite is probably one of the most enigmatic places within the St. Lawrence beluga population’s…
Are there any beluga nurseries in the St. Lawrence?
Topic of my Master’s project: Investigation of Allomothering in St. Lawrence Belugas For a long time, studies of cetaceans were…
With the belugas: week of June 19, 2017
Rolling the Dice After a first week spent in the upstream sector on the north shore side, the week of…
With the belugas: the research season 2017 is on!
No sooner do we exit Tadoussac Bay when we spot a herd of belugas between Ilet-aux-Morts and Pointe-Noire. It was…
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…
Minke whale with calf and two fin whales
June 2, 2017. Foray off Tadoussac and an exceptional morning observation! According to my information, this is the first one…
The Godbout’s humpback whale: another milestone reached!
On May 3, the carcass of a young humpback whale was found beached in Godbout. Following sampling for research purposes,…
The Beauty of New Life
The month of May is a bit chilly out on the water and windows of favourable weather are somewhat narrower…
Focus: Harbor Seals of the Saguenay Fjord
In the past few days, spotting and locating minke whales and fin whales off the coast of Tadoussac has proven…
My First Encounter with Pilot Whales
On Saturday, May 13, together with Katy Gavrilchuk and David Gaspard, members of the Mingan Islands Cetacean Study (MICS) team,…
DL220 off Cap de Bon-Désir!
April 10, 2017. Back on the rocks of Cap de Bon-Désir. Rather quickly, I spot with my binoculars a herd…
Young Seal on the River Banks: Do Not Disturb!
The months of May and June are pupping season for harbour seals. Every year, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response…
Citizens of the St. Lawrence, stay alert! Report any dead or vulnerable marine mammal to 1-877-7baleine
The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) relies on cooperative local citizens and fishermen to promptly report any dead or struggling…
Young Humpback Found Stranded in Godbout Given Second Life in Tadoussac
On the shores of the Côte-Nord region, near Godbout, a small humpback whale was reported to Marine Mammal Emergencies on…
A New Face
Dear readers, The most observant amongst you may have noticed a new name beneath some of our articles in the…
Dead beluga stranded in magdalen islands; a carcass protected by law
On Saturday, a beluga washed up onto Fatima beach in the Magdalen Islands. The carcass is being eyed by local…
Exciting First Outing of the Spring
On Friday, May 5, I made my first trip out to sea of the 2017 season. Usually I make this…
Offshore Season Kicks Off in Tadoussac!
Since May 1, I finally have the pleasure once again to sail the waters of the St. Lawrence Estuary… to…
First beluga carcass of the year reported in gaspésie
The first beluga carcass of the year was reported to Marine Mammals Emergencies. A resident of the Gaspé Peninsula town…
Spring Reveals Two Dolphin Carcasses in Sainte-Flavie
Two white-sided dolphin carcasses were discovered in Sainte-Flavie on March 21. A resident of this Lower St. Lawrence town and…
First Days of Spring in Haute-Côte-Nord
March 21, 2017. Afternoon of dream at the Cape of Bon-Désir, near Les Bergeronnes. A river ever so serene. As…
Doing research in winter: here is what happens at the GREMM
In summer, the Bleuvet and BpJAM ply the waters of the St. Lawrence and the Saguenay Fjord to study the…
Dead Whale Adrift Amongst the Gaspé Ice Floes
Reports have been flying back and forth for the past three days: a whale carcass has been drifting along the…
Still plenty of belugas on the upper north shore
By Renaud Pintiaux January 17 and 18: I’m back on the rocks of Cape de Bon-Desir. Once again, it’s the…
Fin Whale Carcass in Montmagny: Flashback to 1988
A few weeks ago, a botanist passionate about nature and wildlife took advantage of a winter day to sort through…
Is it normal to see seals on the ice?
Calls made to 1-877-7baleine since the end of last year were mostly from witnesses who observed seals lying on the…
Start of 2017 in Haute-Côte-Nord: A Fin Whale and a Group of Belugas
By Renaud Pintiaux The year’s off to a great start! January 2: I’ve no sooner arrived at Cap de Bon-Desir,…
Volunteering for Marine Mammal Emergencies
Every year since 2012, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network has been recruiting volunteers who are available and motivated…
Marine Mammal Emergencies: an Active and Essential Network
In its 12th season, 1-877-7baleine team expended considerable effort to process no fewer than 410 calls from citizens reporting dead…
Busy Fall at 1-877-7baleine
One would've thought that the off season translates into peace and quiet at the Marine Mammal Emergencies call centre, but…
Blue Whale Found Dead in St. Lawrence Waters
A rare occurrence in the St. Lawrence; researchers of the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network confirmed this week that…
End of November: Two Humpbacks and a Survivor!… by Renaud Pintiaux
November 25, 2016, Cap de Bon-Désir: moderate winds from the northeast and a few flurries begin to fall this morning.…
Birds and Marine Mammals, Focus on Gray Seals and… a Jellyfish!
Rain and wind have pummelled the Haute-Côte-Nord region in recent days, but no matter! I've been spending a lot of…
Rare adult hooded seals on shore!
An employee of Saumon Gaspé (Translator's note: a salmon fishing outfitter) was in for a surprise on Tuesday morning as…
Who are these minke whales?
By Mériscope October 23, 2016: last trip out to sea. The 6th season of photo-identifying St. Lawrence minke whales is…
On the Rocks of Cap de Bon-Désir
The season on the water is over, but marine mammals have yet to leave the area! From November 5 to…
Final Trip Offshore for the 2016 Season and an Exceptional Observation!
November 5: we're back on the waters of the Estuary for the last whale-watching cruise of 2016. Shortly after leaving…
Early November and Continuing Action off Tadoussac!
The field season is drawing to a close, and for real this time! Nevertheless, whales are still numerous off Tadoussac…
Revelation of the Year: Mingan Humpbacks in my Backyard!… by René Roy
I didn't suspect that I would close out the 2016 season with so many humpback sightings in the Estuary. This…
With the Belugas: Week of October 10, 2016
Final Week with the Belugas Autumn has now been in full swing in Tadoussac for a few weeks and, as…
And the Season Continues!
The offshore season has been extended one week... Awesome! On October 30, ours was the only boat out at sea.…
Focus on Fin Whales
December 9, 2015: from the rocks of Cap de Bon-Desir, I spotted five fin whales with my binoculars and took…
Scientists Remain Concerned about Belugas
The 2016 season adds to the spate of St. Lawrence beluga mortalities: 14 carcasses were recovered and examined. It's not…
With the Belugas: Week of October 3rd, 2016
This week we speak with Anthony Simond, who spent two weeks aboard the Bleuvet in September 2016 to collect bacteria…
Marine Mammal Emergencies “Detectives”
This morning, a resident of the Bas-Saint-Laurent region reported the carcass of a toothed whale with a dark back and…
A Special Visitor off Tadoussac
October 17: offshore foray out of Tadoussac. Near Prince Shoal, we first cross paths with several minke whales feeding near…
Zipper, Trou, Gray Seals and Minke Whales
October 13, 2016: With the beautiful autumn light and breathtaking landscapes, it was another splendid trip out to sea from…
Live Stranded Dolphins: Story from an Anticosti Island Resident
Marine Mammal Emergencies has been busy since early fall, especially with incidents involving live stranded dolphins. On September 28, six…
With the Belugas: Week of September 26, 2016
Curious Belugas... and a Humpback This week we are resuming regular photo-ID work of our St. Lawrence belugas. We're treated…
Great Diversity off the Coasts of our Villages
The past several days have been quite spectacular off the coasts of our villages. What diversity! There is a strong…
Autumn: an awesome season if you don’t mind the cold and want to see blue whales…
In the Lower Estuary, it seems that fall is the best time to observe blue whales. Compared to other species,…
With the Belugas: Weeks of September 5, 12, and 19, 2016
Beluga Pregnancy Tests: Data Collection Complete! The fourth and final collection of biopsies to determine the proportion of pregnant female…
What should be done if a cetacean is stranded alive?
Last August 29, a mother and daughter found a live harbour porpoise stranded on the beach in the town of…
Analysis of a Trip Out to See the Giants…
When searching for large rorquals, just because you have a good boat and you head to a known offshore feeding…
With the Belugas: Week of August 29, 2016
Chatty males! This week, we took advantage of the gorgeous weather to visit the downstream sector, where we regularly encounter…
Renowned Blue Whales… by Jaclyn Aubin
Today I would like to share a particularly phenomenal cruise that I had the chance to take. Arriving at our…
The Almost Mythical Blue Whale… by Audrey Tawel-Thibert
More than ten years ago, I first laid eyes on the largest animal that Earth has ever seen: the blue…
With the Belugas: Week of August 22, 2016
The Astonishing Miss Frontenac This week, fog forced us to work once again in the Saguenay, but luck is on…
Return of Blanco
August 30, 2016: a long 10-hour day out on the water. Eighty-five nautical miles cruising along the south and north…
Tail of a Fin Whale
Another beautiful morning on the water off of Tadoussac. Variable cloudiness and calm waters. A pair of fin whales near…
Breaching Minke Whale and Surface Feeding Humpback
More great moments were enjoyed off Tadoussac on the morning of August 25, 2016. Moderate winds from the southwest and…
With the Belugas: Week of August 15, 2016
Belugas of Cook Inlet (cont'd.) Second week with belugas in Alaska. Even if the scenery and water colour are a…
Struggling Belugas in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park
Last week, Marine Mammal Emergencies received several calls for two vulnerable belugas: one near the Pointe-Noire observation site at the…
Meeting Up with Giants… by Jaclyn Aubin
"The blue whale is the biggest whale, right?" That's a question I hear often. Well yes! The blue whale, which can…
When the Humpback Comes to the Table… by Audrey Tawel-Thibert
On the afternoon of August 16, 2016, a young humpback whale, probably Fleuret's calf, was surface feeding. Together with other…
The Pictures Speak for Themselves
Following a fantastic day off Tadoussac on August 17, 2016, here is an album exceptionally full of photos, all taken…
With the Belugas: Week of August 8, 2016
With the Belugas… of Cook Inlet From August 10 to 23, the Bleuvet team defected to go lend a hand…
Objective Blue Whale: Guided by the Colour of their Excrement
Despite pleasant summertime temperatures, sustained winds of 20 to 35 knots force me to stay downwind of Cap Gaspé. I…
A Forest of Spouts…
On the morning of August 13, as the tide was rising, we identify a group of fin whales in the…
Cetacean Beauty and Acrobatics
Lots of action off shore in recent days. Of course, there are those rarities that have been observed on several…
Encounter with a Gray Seal… by Jaclyn Aubin
In recent weeks, it seems impossible to go out on the water without seeing at least a hundred or so…
With the Belugas: Week of August 1st, 2016
Calves, calves, and more calves. The beluga calving season is in full swing. Despite the newborn mortalities recorded in recent…
The Famous Breach of the Humpback… by Audrey Tawel-Thibert
The morning of August 5 is a difficult one out on the water. Shooting photos from a small Zodiac is…
With the Belugas: Week of July 25, 2016
This week we give the floor to our collaborator Valeria Vergara, a research scientist at the Vancouver Aquarium, who has…
Rising Sun over the St. Lawrence… by Jaclyn Aubin
In the past few months, I've learned that photo-identification work has nothing to do with artistic photography. Indeed, it is…
A Tragic Series Continues
Third Young Beluga Found Stranded this Season In the late morning hours of July 31, Marine Mammal Emergencies received a…
Gray Seals, Minke Whales, Fin Whales and Spectacular Scenery
In recent days, we've been observing gatherings of hundreds of gray seals off of Tadoussac. Above them, flocks of herring…
With the Belugas: Week of July 18, 2016
Mom, Can You Hear Me? — Continuation In the summer of 2015, we carried out a pilot project to assess…
With the Belugas: Week of July 11, 2016
Start of the Calving Season For belugas, the calving period runs from June to September. So it's no wonder that…
Spectacular Diversity… by Jaclyn Aubin
It is often said that the St. Lawrence is a smorgasbord for whales. Indeed, the river has several characteristics that…
Powerful Spouts, Beaming Sun, Shear Awe… by Renaud Pintiaux
Four to six fin whales have set up camp in recent days in the area between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins.…
5th Beluga Carcass for 2016
A kayaker was the first to report a beluga carcass when he contacted the media yesterday morning, July 17. Marine…
With the Belugas: Week of July 4, 2016
A late start but some big reunions... After a series of mechanical problems, the Bleuvet is finally back on the water this…
Amazing Fin Whales… by Jaclyn Aubin
Despite several days of adverse conditions, last week proved to be very conducive for observing fin whales in the Marine…
Rediscovering Whales by Ear… by Audrey Tawel-Thibert
When we boarded the boat at 11:30 a.m. on June 28, I had noticed the layer of fog that was shrouding…
Rescue Attempt of a Young Beluga Stranded Alive – Updated July 7, 2016: Video Posted
On June 30, 2016, a female beluga just a few hours old was found stranded alive in Rivière-du-Loup. The team…
Humpbacks off of Cap Gaspé
Thursday, June 30: two friends and I set out for L'Anse-au-Griffon for a "hit-and-run" birding mission. Our goal is to…
A Gam of Fin Whales in the Gaspé
After several days of waiting in early June, a window of favourable weather finally arrived on June 18. And so…
Fresh Beluga Carcass Found in Sainte-Flavie
On the morning of June 28, the municipality of Sainte-Flavie received a call from citizens who had discovered a beluga…
Under the Summer Sun: Yogi, a Few Rorquals and a Curious Seal
June 24, 2016: a fantastic trip off of Tadoussac to celebrate Saint-Jean Baptiste Day! Bright sun, light winds. Breathtaking landscapes. Our…
Following Researchers at Sea
Several research teams made their inaugural trips of the season in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence in recent…
Final journey of a Sowerby’s beaked whale
A Sowerby’s beaked whale was reported to 1-877-7baleine on Monday, June 13 on the shores of Escuminac in the Gaspé…
The Power of Fin Whales and the Energy of Minke Whales
On the morning of June 3, as our boat sat motionless for several minutes off the Prince Shoal Lighthouse, two…
Young Seal Disturbed at Cap-aux-Os: Key Things to Remember
A young harbour seal was reported last week on a Gaspé Bay beach. The case sparked many reactions and unprecedented…
Mortality of a Female Beluga
On 29 May 2016, an article about a beluga carcasse found in Les Escoumins was published. The fresh carcass was transported to the…
At Least Six Fin Whales off Tadoussac
On the morning of May 31, it was a thrill to locate no fewer than six fin whales between Prince…
Five Fin Whales, a Minke Whale in Action and a Festival of Jaegers
On the morning of May 29, we observe five fin whales offshore between Tadoussac and Les Bergeronnes. Their huge blasts…
First Trip of the Season in Gaspé
The first trip of the season is definitely one of the most exhilarating. The excitement of being on the water…
Live Seal Pup on the Beach: What Should You Do?
The months of May and June correspond to the pupping season for harbour seals. Every year, the Quebec Marine Mammal…
First trip out to sea
How great it feels to be on the water again! A new season begins... Back to the majestic St. Lawrence,…
Mortalities in the Estuary
A Beluga Carcass in Bas-Saint-Laurent Every year, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network handles between 15 and 20 cases of…
Young Minke Whale Beached in Québec City Region
The story has already generated its share of headlines: a whale, more specifically a minke whale, was found dead on…
Show me your teeth and I’ll tell you who you are
Since early April, Marine Mammal Emergencies has handled three cases involving seal carcasses: two in Sept-Îles and one in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. There…
First “Marine Mammal Emergencies” Cases of the Season
Activity at the Call Centre 1-877-7baleine changes with the seasons; April and May are the months when we receive reports…
Marine Mammal Emergencies Reiterates the Importance of Reporting Dead or Vulnerable Marine Mammals
[caption id="attachment_18443" align="alignright" width="250"] © Marie-Frédérique Robitaille[/caption] The arrival of spring is synonymous with the return of marine mammals that…
Marine Mammal Emergencies Gears Up for Another Season
[caption id="attachment_18286" align="alignright" width="184"] © Fabienne Michot[/caption] After two months of complete silence in the 1-877-7baleine call centre, a case…
Rare Cuvier’s Beaked Whale Found Dead in Nova Scotia
On February 7, Nova Scotia's Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network, the Marine Animal Response Society (MARS), received a report of…
Seals on the Ice: Cause for Concern?
Since the beginning of winter, Marine Mammal Emergencies has received reports of seals on the ice in the Gaspé region,…
Belugas on the Move
Update, January 19, 2016: Theories as to Why the Project was not as Successful as Expected
At the dawn of the beluga seasonal migration, one question remains: where will they winter? This question is at the…
Marine Mammal Emergencies Needs You!
Do you live near the St. Lawrence? Do you enjoy walking on its shores? Do you have a flexible schedule…
Here we go again! Seals on the horizon…
On December 10, the Marine Mammal Emergencies Call Centre was contacted by a media source: it had received a report…
Beyond Cap de Bon-Désir, fin whale Bp929…
[caption id="attachment_16956" align="alignright" width="150"] Rorqual commun non reconnu[/caption] On December 5, through my binoculars, I spot five fin whales, two…
With the Belugas: Week of September 21, 2015
Mission accomplished! It's the third and last week of the intensive biopsy program for St. Lawrence belugas. Our goal is…
Minke Whale Santafin at Cap de Bon-Désir…
Luck and patience. These are the two key words if ones hopes to enjoy interesting sightings of marine mammals from…
Why so many questions?
The 1-877-7baleine call centre team frequently says that their work often resembles that of a detective! When a mammal is…
Autumn Surprise
For nearly a month, the phone at the Call Centre 1-877-7baleine has been silent. Then, it's just before 5 pm…
Harbour Seal Gathering in Tadoussac
November 30, 2015: Tadoussac: I'm walking on the beach, from Tadoussac Bay to the dunes. At this time of year…
A Gorgeous October Morning
The wind is blowing from the northwest. It's a sunny but chilly day. The beauty of the landscape is breathtaking:…
With the Belugas: Week of September 14, 2015
Biopsies Made Challenging by the Wind In this second week of the intensive beluga biopsy program, we have spent 16…
With the Belugas: Week of September 7, 2015
THE MYSTERY OF BAIE SAINTE-MARGUERITE This week, we take a closer look at the intensive beluga biopsy program spearheaded by…
With the Belugas: Week of August 31, 2015
One, two, three...four newborns are surrounding us! In 18 hours with belugas this week, we conducted four censuses and encountered…
Close of 2015 Season Off the Shores of Tadoussac
It's one of the last trips offshore for the 2015 season. There's a tinge of sadness, for sure, but it's…
Finding Symphonie in the Middle of the Estuary
I had a great outing in the Estuary on September 22 together with Katy and David, two members of the…
With the Belugas: Week of August 24, 2015
MOM, CAN YOU HEAR ME? This week, the team had 11 encounters in 22 hours with belugas. Two boats were…
Fall Temperatures and Breaching Minke Whale
A strong wind is blowing from the west-southwest today, Monday, October 19. Nevertheless, I have the pleasure of observing a…
Another Behemoth Stranded in the Magdalen Islands
[caption id="attachment_13837" align="alignright" width="250"] © Léonard Chevarie[/caption] The North Atlantic right whale that washed up on the western dunes in…
Belugas “On the Run”
September 18, 2015: Fisheries and Oceans Canada reminds the public not to interact with the beluga
News: September 18, 2015: Fisheries and Oceans Canada reminds the public not to interact with the beluga We haven't heard…
With the Belugas: Week of August 17, 2015
Good news for calves! In 14 hours with belugas, we conducted four censuses and a total of 10 calves were…
Surface Feeding Behaviour in Blue Whales
Sunday, September 13: as usual, I had to deal with the tide when putting my boat into the water and…
In the St. Lawrence: a Scene that Changes by the Hour
My expectations are low as I leave the Tadoussac wharf on the morning of September 9, a heavy blanket of…
With the Belugas: Week of August 10, 2015
YOGI SWIMS UP THE SAGUENAY ALONE This week, fog is prevalent. Our observations had to be cut short. Nevertheless, we…
A Ballet of Minke Whales, Gray Seals and Black-legged Kittiwakes
September 10: this morning, calm conditions seem to be reigning off the coast of Tadoussac. This is but an illusion.…
With the Belugas: Week of August 3
A BELUGA THAT SHOWS ITS TEETH Several hours at sea for Week 6 in the field! In total: 20 hours…
End of Summer at Marine Mammal Emergencies
As summer is winding down in the coastal areas of the St. Lawrence, one might think that the telephone at…
Porpoises: Shy Whales? Not in the Least… by Marie-Pier Poulin
Not this week at least! On several cruises, observers old and young smiled as they discovered harbour porpoises, those small,…
Minke Whales Draw my Attention… by Catherine Chassé
After a morning working in the lab, I finally head offshore in the afternoon to join the whales. Earlier that…
Piper’s Adventure Caught on Camera
A little more than two months have passed since the discovery of Piper's carcass off Percé, a North Atlantic right…
First Encounter with the Largest Animal on the Planet… Marie-Pier Poulin
I had heard that the St. Lawrence is one of the few places where one can observe blue whales, even…
Undeterred by the Weather… by Catherine Chassé
Waves, fog and wind await me off of Tadoussac. Even before boarding the zodiac, I know that today will not…
The Great Feast off Tadoussac
The river is calm. The Sun is shining brightly above our heads. A storm looms in the distance, coming from…
A 12th Beluga Carcass Found in 2015
12th Beluga Carcass Discovered On August 18, observers stationed on the rocks of the Marine Environment Discovery Centre (MEDC) in…
Straight Out of a Dream
Photos: © René Roy I just woke up from a dream ... A dream in which I was at a…
From Tadoussac to Les Escoumins, Another Magical Day…
How can we forget that we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world when, on this…
Northern gannets steal the show from whales in Tadoussac
In recent days, gannet observations almost overshadow those of whales, at least as far as I'm concerned! They number in…
A Disturbing Beluga Carcass
Residents of the town of Chandler promptly called 1-877-7baleine on the afternoon of August 13 when a beluga carcass was…
Two North Atlantic Right Whale carcasses in the Gulf of St. Lawrence; One Washes Ashore
After the right whale found dead off the coast of Percé this past June 24, two more carcasses of the…
With the Belugas: Week of July 27
BELUGAS AND WAVES! It's been a tough week for working out at sea. However, we have completed three surveys and…
Three Beluga Carcasses Added to Year’s Tally
Prior to the two incidents reported last July 25, six belugas had been found dead since the beginning of the…
With the Belugas: Week of July 20, 2015
We are in the 4th week of field work for the St. Lawrence beluga behavioural study. We have gone out…
With the Belugas: Week of July 13
RESEARCHERS' TIPS TO RECOGNIZE THEM In the course of three days at sea, as part of our behavioural study project…
With the Belugas: Week of July 6
Our second week in the field for the beluga behavioural study was spread over three non-consecutive days (July 6, 9…
Gaspé Mission: Happy Encounters and a Sad Discovery
Almost five days on the water and some 250 nautical miles covered in the Gaspé-Percé sector from June 30 to…
On the Lookout for a Beluga
Early this morning, at 8:30, a collaborator from the Canadian Coast Guard reports a beluga carcass that a friend spotted…
Large Rorquals Adrift…
In the Gaspé "It was so big...even from miles away, I thought it was an island!" These are the words…
With the Belugas: Week of June 29
The field season for the St. Lawrence beluga behavioural study is under way. The first week consisted of three days…
First Beluga Carcass for 2015
It's the low season for the call centre of the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network; a single case has…
Dead or Struggling Marine Mammals: 1-877-7baleine
With the arrival of spring, the once frozen shores of the St. Lawrence begin to open up, exposing carcasses of…
Leaving the Belugas for the Winter
Le Bleuvet has been taken out of the water for the winter. For the past two weeks, the team was…