Magazine
Minke Whales in the November Snow
Minke whales are the stars of the week! Their clearly visible blows rise and form plumes that dissipate in the strong winds and swirling snow. A few seals make themselves cozy on the rocks, delighting those who spot them from afar. The white backs of belugas are sometimes visible, as are the characteristic columns of fin whales.
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
Over the years…
July 7, 2025: It’s early in the morning, and I'm waiting for news from the research team. Will weather conditions…
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…
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
The Hidden Superpowers of Whales
Whale excrement, in addition to being a sort of fertilizer for the oceans, is useful to scientists, providing insight into…
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…
Observation of the Week
Minke Whales in the November Snow
Minke whales are the stars of the week! Their clearly visible blows rise and form plumes that dissipate in the…
Cold, Quiet Days Setting In
Whale-watching and research boats are being pulled out of the water for the winter, the days are growing shorter, and…
Mythical Monsters of Halloween
The gloomy weather, heavy fog, and trees stripped of their colours remind us that another gorgeous autumn is winding down.…
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…