Belugas in the Saguenay, Rorquals in the St. Lawrence

Immaculate belugas

A dozen or so belugas, together with a single humpback, were spotted simultaneously from Les Bergeronnes. Farther south, a solitary individual was cruising through the waters of Cap-à-l’Aigle in La Malbaie, while off the coast of Saint-Siméon, another group of four or five belugas was spotted. Known for its deep, brackish waters, the Saguenay Fjord continues to regularly host these cetaceans.

One particularly rare sighting came from Godbout: Three belugas spent nearly an hour in the bay, an area rarely visited by this species. “One of them showed its tail nearly every time it dove. In over thirty years, this is only the second time I’ve seen belugas deep in the bay,” points out one delighted observer. Other sightings of the species were reported from Matane, Rimouski, and the ferry connecting Trois-Pistoles to Les Escoumins.

A blue whale – the largest living animal – emerged briefly between two waves in Les Escoumins. It was not seen again after that. Harbour seals, minke whales, and belugas rounded out the scene, while a harp seal was also identified in the area. In the Gaspé region, a fin whale was reported off Cap Gaspé alongside another blue whale, confirming that the large migratory whales are indeed returning to the gulf.

Bearded seal in Sept-Îles

In Sept-Îles, a bearded seal was passing through. Although this species is uncommon in the St. Lawrence, individuals – often young – are observed in its waters on occasion.

Thanks to all our collaborators!

Special thanks go out to all our observers who share their love for marine mammals with us! Your encounters with cetaceans and pinnipeds are always a pleasure to read and discover.

On the water or from shore, it is your eyes that give life to this column.