Magazine
Song of the Sea
Along the coasts or on the water, marine wildlife brings our senses alive. We observe the streamlined bodies of whales gliding in and out of the water, the whiskered faces of seals devouring fish, or even pelagic birds soaring in the skies. We listen to the powerful blows of large rorquals, or on calm days, the more timid vocalizations of harbour porpoises. We take deep inhalations of the salt spray while the smell of seaweed permeates the air. In Quebec,…
Field Notes
25 Years of Evolution and Passion in the Field
It was 1999, and my life was about to change. I had just completed my studies in biology and was…
On board the Bella Desgagnés, sighting of a North Atlantic right whale
By: Valérie Filion head of the interpreting department aboard the Bella Desgagnés for the Marine Mammal Observation Network (MMON) My…
Field Report
Beluga Monitoring Aboard Antarès
At the Tadoussac marina, the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) research team boards the boat at…
Cleaning skeletons: an expertise unlike any other!
June 11: The day didn’t begin aboard the Antarès or any of GREMM’s other boats, but rather in Michel Martin’s…
FOREL: At the Innovative Crossroads of Science, Culture, and Education
We are two GREMM employees who had the privilege to board FOREL, a stately sailing vessel entirely dedicated to scientific…
Hot Topics
Round-up of 2025 North Atlantic Right Whale News
After being hunted for hundreds of years, the North Atlantic right whale currently faces a number of threats, including entanglements…
ROUND-UP OF 2024 NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE NEWS
After being hunted for centuries, today’s North Atlantic right whales face many challenges, including entanglements with fishing gear, ship strikes…
Round-up of 2023 North Atlantic Right Whale News
After being hunted for centuries, today’s North Atlantic right whales face many challenges, including entanglements with fishing gear, ship strikes…
Marine Mammal Emergencies
SPRING 2025: A BUSY CALENDAR FOR QMMERN
The year has been a busy one so far for QMMERN, with numerous cases of harassment and disturbance of seal…
Beluga Mortality Report : Few Carcasses Found in 2024
Only six beluga carcasses were found in 2024, the lowest figure in several years. By comparison, there were 17 carcasses…
News
Low Numbers of Large Rorquals in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park in 2025: Exception, or the New Norm? – Part Two
Between mid-June and mid-September, as part of its annual large rorqual census in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, GREMM’s Large…
Low Numbers of Large Rorquals in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park in 2025: Exception, or the New Norm? – Part 1
Between August 6 and 17, no large rorquals were observed in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. This may not be…
4th Humpback Whale World Congress
From October 15 to 19, 2025, Tadoussac hosted the 4th World Congress on Humpback Whales, under the theme “Coexisting with…
Observation of the Week
Song of the Sea
Along the coasts or on the water, marine wildlife brings our senses alive. We observe the streamlined bodies of whales…
Swimming in Cetaceans: A Vital but Labour-intensive Activity
Autumn has finally arrived, but the St. Lawrence hasn’t had its last word with the pectoral, caudal, and dorsal fin…
The St. Lawrence River: Ablaze with Autumn Hues and Alive with Fins
While Quebec’s forests are gleaming red, orange, and yellow, the St. Lawrence should not be overlooked either, as its autumn…
Whale Q&A
Your questions about beluga reproduction!
The Whale Watch team and the team of naturalists at the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM) regularly receive questions about…
Why did so many large rorquals visit the St. Lawrence this spring?
Early 2025 was a particularly intense period for observing large rorquals in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. Whether it be…
A Smirk with a Purpose!
Belugas are known for their expressive faces, but what’s behind their endearing smirk? From an “O”-shaped mouth to water spitting…