Magazine
Two Humpbacks off Pointe-des-Monts
Pointe-des-Monts, February 8: You don’t need a thermometer to know the air is frigid: sea smoke hangs over the St. Lawrence. When warmer water (“warmer” being relative here) comes into contact with very cold air, it evaporates. Despite the shroud of fog in front of his chalet, a local resident notices some movement on the River. A few seconds later, two black backs break the surface. It’s quite a surprise to have two humpbacks opposite his chalet in February. "In…
Field Notes
Skeleton Preparations Move Forward
At the time of his most recent interview with a Whales Online intern in the fall of 2018, Michel Martin,…
Is ice a significant natural threat to blue whales in the Gulf?
Revisiting the photos I took this past summer, I pondered some of the specific markings I had observed on blue…
A Speckled Humpback… by Anik Boileau
By Anik Boileau, Veterinary Science Researcher and Director of CERSI With the arrival of fall in the Sept-Îles region, it’s…
Hot Topics
Right Whales: What is happening in 2019
The North Atlantic right whale is endangered, with an estimated population of only about 400 individuals. The main threats faced…
Industrial port developments on the Saguenay: a beluga’s perspective
Three industrial port development projects on the banks of the Saguenay River are in their final stages or have completed…
Marine Mammal Emergencies
A busy season for 1-877-7BALEINE, and it’s not over yet!
The summer 2019 season has drawn to a close. It’s time for the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN)…
Humpback Entangled off Forillon Park
Late in the day on August 25, 2019, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network receives a report for a…
News
GNL Québec Promises Fund to Curb Underwater Noise Pollution
In a press release, GNL Québec has undertaken to set up a $5M fund to support projects reducing the underwater…
Marie-Hélène D’Arcy: GREMM’s Keenest Eye
To mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the Whales Online team decided to retrace the journey of technician Marie-Hélène D’Arcy,…
Calving Humpback Caught on Film for First Time
February 3, off the coast of Maui, Hawaii: The captain of a whale-watching cruise observes three humpback whales. According to…
Observation of the Week
Two Humpbacks off Pointe-des-Monts
Pointe-des-Monts, February 8: You don’t need a thermometer to know the air is frigid: sea smoke hangs over the St.…
Born in Warm Waters
Before heading south to more temperate climates, let’s take a brief look at sightings here in the St. Lawrence. Posted…
Born on the Ice
Humpback whales travel to warm Caribbean waters to give birth, while North Atlantic right whales calve in the waters of…
Whale Q&A
Is it possible to collect dead whale skin in the St. Lawrence?
One reader sent us this video from Blue Planet Live in which researchers were collecting pieces of dead skin that…
Is it normal to see so many whales in winter?
In early January, GREMM (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals) received numerous calls from observers claiming to have…
What good are whales?
The impact of the global decline of cetaceans is not fully understood, as it has never been quantified. But the…