Beluga Mortality Report : Few Carcasses Found in 2024

Three of the six carcasses washed up in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, two in the Côte-Nord region, and one on Prince Edward Island. It’s impossible to explain the causes of this sudden decline, but one of the hypotheses put forward by scientists is a  shift in the population’s summer distribution. Because carcasses are brought to shore by the currents, they are most often found on the south shore of the estuary, between Trois-Pistoles and Matane. If belugas move a little farther downstream in the summer, the currents might carry carcasses more toward the Gulf. This could reduce the detectability of carcasses, particularly those that drift offshore or wash up in less frequented or less accessible areas. For now, this is only a hypothesis, which is why scientists are exercising caution. The dip in the number of carcasses discovered does not necessarily mean that the population’s health is improving.

The St. Lawrence beluga population was decimated by intense hunting that was only banned in 1979. Since then, it has shown no signs of recovery despite the conservation measures taken to protect the population. Instead, the species must contend with climate change, contaminants, habitat loss and degradation, reduced prey abundance, and human disturbance.

Vigilance is therefore essential. Occasional fluctuations cannot erase the worrying underlying trends that have been accumulating for this endangered species for more than twenty years.

The beluga mortality monitoring program is led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in collaboration with Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network.

To report a marine mammal stranded on shore or adrift in the water, contact QMMERN immediately at 1-877-722-5346.