Gaspar’s Journey
Gaspar’s name was on the tip of everyone’s tongue last Monday when this female humpback appeared near the shores of Les Escoumins. Other rorqual species also made observers’ eyes light up: fin whales and feeding minke whales, not to mention well-known blue whales! Belugas have been increasingly congregating in the estuary area, while seals and harbour porpoises are also being added to the list of species chalked up.
Gaspar is back!
There are many stories surrounding Gaspar’s (H626) first visit to the estuary. “I was lucky enough to see her on Monday, June 15 from the Les Escoumins–Trois-Pistoles ferry dock,” shares one whale enthusiast. “More spectacular moments this Wednesday evening…” exclaims a naturalist and wildlife photographer who had the privilege of observing her. In early June, rumours were going around about Gaspar’s visit to Gaspé Bay, and a few days later, videos of her hallmark tail fluke betrayed her presence near Anticosti Island. Now she’s in the estuary, over 500 kilometres away!
Since she was first sighted in the estuary in 2006, Gaspar has returned every year except in 2008. Generally, whales return to the feeding grounds where their mothers took them the year they were born. However, Gaspar’s mother Helmet (H166) escorted her only as far as the gulf her first summer. Gaspar later made her own exploratory incursion into the estuary, and it would appear that she’s since made this territory her own! The following day, humpback whale H859 was spotted in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, much to the delight of marine mammal enthusiasts.
Fin whales Ti-Croche (Bp955), Piton (Bp942), Kashkan (Bp918) and Bp2826 were also seen in the Marine Park in recent days. With these whales either moving about or feeding at the surface, their observers were treated to a real show! Several feeding minke whales and belugas were also showing off their distinctive black backs, pink bellies, and white backs at various locations from Saint-Irénée to Les Escoumins.
Blue whales at the edge of the gulf
The largest of whales was spotted by an amateur cetologist conducting transects for the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) between Matane and Pointe-des-Monts. Not one, but three blue whales were observed, including the well-known female Jaw-Breaker. “It’s encouraging; I was really happy to see them,” he remarks. The Sept-Îles Education and Research Centre (CERSI) team also inaugurated its field season, but the weather wasn’t particularly cooperative: “It’s been raining here for over a week, so we only went out once, and we had very little action—just two grey seals. Hopefully, next week will be better!” A harbour seal was spotted at the mouth of the Sainte-Marguerite River in Gallix.
Belugas and minke whales were observed near Baie-Comeau. A tail fluke belonging to a humpback was even reported in Franquelin. The individual’s identity is still a mystery, however.
More rorquals in Gaspésie
“I went to Grande-Grave in Forillon National Park: three humpbacks and two minke whales passed very close to the wharf and disappeared as quickly as they had appeared! With the late afternoon light, it was magical!” marvels a local resident.
Another observer noted having also seen two or three minke whales near Cap-aux-Os a few days earlier (June 15). In the Gaspé Peninsula, as elsewhere in recent days, the weather has been less than ideal, hence the lull in observations.
Rain and wind don’t deter whales and seals from surfacing to breathe. In fact, it’s a vital function. The blowhole on the top of their head—essentially an oversized nostril—allows them to inhale air that then passes through their nasal passages, trachea and larynx before ultimately reaching their lungs. With each breath, whales renew nearly 90% of their air, unlike humans, for whom this figure varies between 10 and 15%!
Where are the whales this week? Sightings map
These data were reported by our network of observers. They give an idea of the presence of whales and in no way represent the actual distribution of whales in the St. Lawrence. Just for fun!
Click on the whale or seal icons to discover the species, the number of individuals, additional information or photos of the sighting. To enlarge the map, click on the icon in the top right-hand corner. The map works well on Chrome and Firefox, but not so well on Safari.
To display the list of sightings, click on the icon in the top left-hand corner.
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.
- Marie-Andrée Charlebois
- Laeticia Desbordes
- Jade-Audrey Lavergne
- Sandrine Papias
- Pascal Pitre
- Renaud Pintiaux
- Jean Rheault
- René Roy
- Guillaume Savard
- Marielle Vanasse
And to all the others!
Additionally, we would like to acknowledge the following teams that also share their sightings:
Centre d’éducation et de recherche de Sept-Îles (CERSI)
Station de recherche des Îles Mingan (MICS)
Réseau d’observation des mammifères marins (ROMM)
Réseau québécois d’urgences pour les mammifères marins (RQUMM)
Groupe de recherche et d’éducation sur les mammifères marins (GREMM)
Mériscope
Would you also like to share your observations? Have you seen any marine mammals in the St. Lawrence? Whether it’s a spout offshore or just a couple of seals, drop us a line and send your photos to [email protected]!
Odélie Brouillette
Odélie Brouillette joined the GREMM team as a writer and naturalist in 2022, and has been a project manager in scientific communication since 2023. With a background in biology, she loves learning and sharing with others what's most important to her. She has always been fascinated by marine environments and whales, and hopes to contribute to their protection through awareness-raising and popularization.
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