Bearded Seal and Large Spouts

Its bushy whiskers glisten in the afternoon sunlight. Its little head approaches a rock. For a minute or so, the seal struggles to climb atop the slippery boulder. “It seemed like forever; the animal seemed to be straining,” says the observer. Then, at last, the seal finds a suitable position and has a rest.

On its enormous body that probably weighs between 300 and 400 kilograms, the head appears quite small. Its abundant vibrissae – or whiskers, like those of a cat – intrigue the observer. She is watching a bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus)! But what is it doing in the Bay of Sept-Îles? This species usually lives in the Arctic and rarely ventures farther south than northeastern Newfoundland. However, every year, at least one bearded seal is seen in the St. Lawrence, sometimes as far away as Laval!

Plump as it is, no need to worry about this globetrotter. The bearded seal locates its prey in the seabed using its long whiskers. Its menu is made up of shrimp, clams, small fish and small octopuses. Will it linger in the St. Lawrence for a while, like the narwhal that has been here since 2016? Or will it return to its natural range in the Arctic? Either way, it really needs to rest. If you happen to see a seal on a rock, on an ice floe or on the beach, observe it from a good distance (at least 50 metres) to prevent it from fleeing into the water and not getting all the rest it needs.