Rorquals in the Fjord and Sperm Whales

The Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) team has had its hands full over the past week. In the Sept-Îles sector, scientists have identified five or six humpback whales, not to mention two fin whales and nearly a dozen blues. One noteworthy observation is the presence of two good-sized male sperm whales. The largest of the toothed whales had yet to be observed in the St. Lawrence this year! This species is occasionally observed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and its estuary. They are most often males in search of new feeding grounds. GREMM’s director of education, Patrice Corbeil, who describes himself as optimistic by nature, also believes that the two sperm whales will venture into the estuary. No doubt we will see if his prediction proves correct in the weeks to come!

When it comes to stories of encounters with cetaceans, Jacques Gélineau has plenty! This marine mammal enthusiast and MICS collaborator reports the presence of harbour porpoises and grey seals in the Sept-Îlesregion. Although he has not had the chance to observe the two sperm whales, he intends to go explore the gulf in the next few days. In terms of large cetaceans, he identified two blue whales and one humpback, not to mention a notable abundance of leaping tuna! He also shares a few theories on the presence of animals in the area: “Oftentimes, when the winds are from the east, the animals leave the area and return only when they begin to blow from the northwest. He also believes that the heavy rains of August and the resulting increase in river flows might bring an influx of nutrients, which would in turn attract marine life.

In the Mingan Archipelago, the MICS team reports the presence of two fin whales, a humpback whale and between 8 and 15 North Atlantic right whales. In Pointe des Monts, one local resident shares some of the wildlife he was able to observe over the long weekend. “There were two minke whales, which always seem to me to be the same ones! The one is big and the other is smaller. We also saw plenty of seals: two or three grey seals daily, and an equal number of harbour seals. There were also a lot of sand eels and between 200 and 300 gulls in the bay! From Franquelin, minke whales and seals have also been reported, in addition to harbour porpoises.

The incursion of a blue whale into the Saguenay Fjord on August 18 was an opportunity to dig through the archives of the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM). The organization’s scientific director, Robert Michaud, confirms that other blue whales have already entered the river. “In 2001-2002, a blue whale ventured upstream as far as the waterfall known as Chute du Caribou-Qui-Pisse, which is located in Baie-Sainte-Catherine on the eastern slope of Cap Noir. The colour of the water here is orangish, hence the funny name! Around 2005, another blue whale reportedly travelled up the Saguenay to Pointe à la Croix in Sacré-Cœur. How long will it be until the next visit by this species? Only time will tell!

It is often said that no two days at the water’s edge are alike. Even if relatively few whales were seen from Tadoussac’s Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM) where the Whales Online staff maintains its summer offices, Wednesday, September 6 will go down as one of the most eventful days in terms of observations!

As we wrap up our lunch break, my colleague Odélie Brouillette, project manager for Whale Portraits, spots a tour boat in the fjord. She wonders what it might be doing there. It was a few seconds before we saw and heard the large spout of a humpback whale at the water surface, followed almost immediately by that of a second individual! We then alert the entire team so that as many people as possible can see these large mammals parading through the narrow Saguenay Fjord. The panorama is extraordinary, the morning fog has cleared, and, on the other side of the fjord, we can now make out the cliff and its shades of grey, brown and green.

The next day, we learned that the two humpbacks that were in the Saguenay made their way to the cove known as Anse de Roche in Sacré-Cœur at around 9 o’clock that same morning. One resident even had the chance to capture some impressive video footage of the two individuals near the docks.

Blown away by all this diversity (though still craving more, as it’s impossible to completely satiate a team of passionate aficionados!), we return to our offices for what’s left of the afternoon. At the end of the day, one group heads to Cap de Bon-Désir, where they spend the evening taking in the sunset and scanning the river in search of marine life. I on the other hand decide to stay in Tadoussac.

Luck was on my side this evening, which turned out to be quite memorable. On my way out of the office, I run into a co-worker who informs me that a humpback whale was once again entering the Saguenay. What do you expect, good news travels fast! No sooner do we turn around and take a few steps when we’re frozen in our tracks: a humpback whale has just hurled its entire body out of the water, right in front of us! Having never witnessed a breach with my own eyes, I am surprised by the speed with which an animal of this size can emerge from the water. Just a few seconds later, the splashing was gone. Aside from all the excitement of those who just observed this spectacle, one would never have guessed what had just transpired. A few minutes later, the whale performs a second breach, right in the middle of the Saguenay.

Where are the whales this week? Observation map