Cetacean Beauty and Acrobatics

Lots of action off shore in recent days. Of course, there are those rarities that have been observed on several occasions: right whales and a narwhal, but let’s not forget the marine mammals that we can encounter more regularly and that treat us to such fabulous performances!

A few examples… A couple of days ago, four minke whales were surface feeding off of Tadoussac. Heads out of the water, acrobatics near the surface…

There were also between seven and nine fin whales that spent a few days far offshore, between Île Rouge and Île Verte.

And, on the morning of August 12, in a small area between Prince Shoal and Île Rouge, we saw an impressive herd of more than three hundred gray seals, nearly a dozen minke whales and four fin whales. Among them, I recognized and photographed Bp94 and Trou, two individuals that have been well known in the area for several years. Not to mention these flocks of seabirds following the gray seals in their movements.

Whatever the case, let’s let the pictures speak for themselves. Here are a few photos taken in recent days:

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GREMM research assistant from 2003 to 2009 and from 2012 to 2014, Renaud Pintiaux is a passionate observer and photographer. Year round, whether from shore or on the water, he takes every opportunity to observe marine mammals and birds in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.