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Rorquals in the Fjord and Sperm Whales

A new species is visiting the Gulf of St. Lawrence for the first time this year: the sperm whale. In…

|Observation of the Week 7/9/2023

Whales at the heart of the St. Lawrence River

The magic of moments along the St. Lawrence is in abundance as August comes to a close. It's a graceful…

|Observation of the Week 5/9/2023

A blue whale in the Saguenay and Tic Tac Toe in Gaspésie!

What could be more impressive than a blue whale, the largest animal alive? Perhaps to see this immense whale make…

|Observation of the Week 24/8/2023

Cetacean Diversity in Full Swing

Blue whales? Up to three individuals have reportedly been observed in the estuary. Humpbacks? Several in Gaspé Bay, including a…

|Observation of the Week 17/8/2023

Lucky Eight?

Eight humpback whales were identified over the past week in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. At the other end of…

|Observation of the Week 3/8/2023

Right Whales in the Gulf

What did the waters off Percé and those near Anticosti Island have in common this past week? Both were visited…

|Observation of the Week 27/7/2023

A Blue Horizon

The fog lifts after having shrouded Gaspé Bay for several days, meaning observers can finally admire the colourful panorama... and…

|Observation of the Week 20/7/2023

Stars of the St. Lawrence

They exude an aura of magic that animates evening get-togethers along the shores of the St. Lawrence. Every year, visitors…

|Observation of the Week 13/7/2023

Gaspar, Guadeloupe and Aramis Put on a Show!

Although the start of the season has been a quiet one, whales seem to have finally arrived in the St.…

|Observation of the Week 6/7/2023

Whales Identified in Côte-Nord!

In the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park as well as in the Mingan and Sept-Îles sectors, humpback and fin whale sightings…

|Observation of the Week 29/6/2023

Fascinating Stories

The weekly sightings column is not only a bit of a summary of everything that has been seen in the…

|Observation of the Week 22/6/2023

Large Rorquals in the Gulf

This week, large rorquals were present all around the gulf. A blue whale made an appearance near Sept-Îles, minke whales…

|Observation of the Week 15/6/2023

Humpbacks in the Gaspé and Concerns in the Estuary

After a quiet start to the season, humpback whales are now making a long-awaited return to Gaspésie, with between six…

|Observation of the Week 8/6/2023

Spring is for Minke Whales

Even if the week was quiet in terms of observations, the presence of minke whales did add a little action…

|Observation of the Week 1/6/2023

Back on the Water

Tuesday, May 23, 2023. For amateur cetologist René Roy, this is his second time on the water this season. During…

|Observation of the Week 25/5/2023
Bp920 rorqual commun

Fin Whales Are Back!

This week, marine mammals were not deterred by the snow and wind from parading up and down the St. Lawrence.…

|Observation of the Week 18/5/2023

Arrival of Tic Tac Toe

While some communities are eagerly waiting for the ice to break up on the local river or for the tulips…

|Observation of the Week 11/5/2023

“The Humpbacks are Here!”

“You’ll see, tomorrow morning there will be humpbacks in Les Bergeronnes,” claims Renaud Pintiaux, a long-time observer forWhales Online. Gut…

|Observation of the Week 1/5/2023
Un groupe de marsouins communs

Little Porpoises, Large Spouts

Swimming in proximity to both a blue whale and a fin whale, the first harbour porpoises of the season made…

|Observation of the Week 20/4/2023

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…

|Hot Topics 13/4/2023

Solo or in groups, the cetaceans are back!

The list of marine species present in the St. Lawrence is getting longer and longer: blue whales and fin whales…

|Observation of the Week 13/4/2023
Béluga du Saint-Laurent

White Whales Mark the Return of Spring

This past week in the St. Lawrence, strong winds, inclement weather and rough seas did not make easy to observe…

|Observation of the Week 6/4/2023

Encounters with Giants

The mysterious series of spout sightings that began last week continues, only this time we might actually be able to…

|Observation of the Week 30/3/2023

Mystery Whales

This week, eyes are shifting to the Gaspé in the hope of solving a very particular enigma… Large rorquals have…

|Observation of the Week 23/3/2023

Blue Whale Spout on the Horizon

Off the coast of Sept-Îles, a huge blast rises into the air, then another. Clearly visible from shore, these blows…

|Observation of the Week 16/3/2023

Between Doldrums and Delirium

Last week’s sightings article may have inspired some of you... One marine mammal enthusiast wrote to us that she even…

|Observation of the Week 9/3/2023

Katak the Brave Beluga: An Eye-opening Film on the Beauty of the St. Lawrence and the Fragility of Belugas

In the thrilling journey of a young beluga in search of his grandfather, the animated film Katak the Brave Beluga,…

|News 2/3/2023

In Search of Wonder

Over the past week, harp seals, harbour seals and belugas have been sighted along the north shore of the St.…

|Observation of the Week 2/3/2023

Winter Pupping Season: A Risky Affair

The diminishing ice cover observed in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence in recent years is having an impact…

|Marine Mammal Emergencies 2/3/2023

From Swimming Giants to Flying Gulls

Sunny days, seabirds flying gracefully over the river as they forage for food, reflections in the crystal clear water and…

|Observation of the Week 23/2/2023

Mirages and Blue Whale

A blue whale venturing near the coast, seals resting on blocks of ice, a solitary beluga that shows its tail…

|Observation of the Week 16/2/2023

Calm Before the Big Cold Front

On the horizon, on the ice and in the waves, every week is different than the one before. Few marine…

|Observation of the Week 2/2/2023

Winter Rorquals

It’s a white January morning and the wintry wind is blowing across the river when a local resident sitting cosily…

|Observation of the Week 26/1/2023

Goodbye whales, hello seals!

After causing a sensation two weeks ago with a remarkable presence in Percé and a few appearances in the Côte-Nord…

|Observation of the Week 19/1/2023

Ice and Surprises 

During the end-of year holiday season, the waters of the St. Lawrence quietly became cloaked in a sheet of ice…

|Observation of the Week 12/1/2023

Wintertime Seals, Whales and Belugas

This week, winter lovers were able to take advantage of the short, sunny days to admire seals, belugas, minke whales…

|Observation of the Week 8/12/2022

Big gulps in the bay

The day is calm with a quiet whisper of a wind, while out in the bay, a few dark spots…

|Observation of the Week 1/12/2022

Not one… not two… but six humpbacks!

This week, a few humpback whales were still present in the St. Lawrence and residents were even treated to an…

|Observation of the Week 25/11/2022

White as Snow… Or a Beluga!

As fluffy snowflakes invaded eastern Quebec and a white blanket quietly covered the ground, marine mammals continued on with their…

|Observation of the Week 17/11/2022

Between Mountains and the Sea: The Sounds of Cetaceans

Whether on a boat, at the docks or on shore, the echos of blowing whales can be heard. From humpback…

|Observation of the Week 3/11/2022

Action on the Horizon

Whether watching through their binoculars, through the lens of their camera or with their own two eyes while squinting from…

|Observation of the Week 27/10/2022

Cetaceans by the Dozen

A dozen or so humpback whales have been observed in Gaspé Bay over the past week. A few individuals approach…

|Observation of the Week 13/10/2022

Colourful Silhouettes

Whether it’s pods of white-sided dolphins repeatedly leaping out of the water, breaching minke whales or a blue whale blowing…

|Observation of the Week 6/10/2022

Autumn Winds

Mariners are well aware that in fall, storms often produce strong winds from the east or northeast. While some enthusiasts…

|Observation of the Week 30/9/2022

Humpbacks, seals and belugas

This week, all up and down the St. Lawrence, humpback whales are topping the lists of observations, along with other…

|Observation of the Week 23/9/2022

Fog-shrouded Waters

This past week was marked by the presence of fog almost all across the St. Lawrence. Mingan Islands, La Malbaie,…

|Observation of the Week 15/9/2022

White beaks, speckled grey backs and golden spouts

Out on the water, the mild conditions over the last few days have allowed for the observation of a number…

|Observation of the Week 8/9/2022

Dolphin, harbour porpoise or…fish ?

It is a beautiful evening of observation, a magnificent sunset, a refreshing breeze, a most grandiose panorama. The eyes turned…

|Observation of the Week 1/9/2022

Exceptional Tours in the Estuary

Everyone was surprised this week when not one, but two endangered species ventured into the St. Lawrence Estuary: one North…

|Observation of the Week 11/8/2022

A Drive Down the “Whale Trail”

Between Tadoussac and Kegaska, Route 138 hugs the coast of Quebec’s Côte-Nord region for over 850 kilometres. Dotted with magnificent…

|Observation of the Week 4/8/2022

Swimming against the current

After the pioneering belugas that ventured into Baie des Ha! Ha! last week, this week it is the humpbacks’ turn to…

|Observation of the Week 28/7/2022

Entangled Humpback – A Chronicle

On Wednesday, July 13, a humpback whale was spotted off the coast of Les Escoumins accompanied by a calf that…

|Marine Mammal Emergencies 26/7/2022
Béluga du Saint-Laurent

Exploratory Belugas

Belugas made headlines this week when a group of a dozen or so individuals was observed in Baie des Ha! Ha!…

|Observation of the Week 21/7/2022

A Day in Good Company

On Sunday, July 3, a minke whale carcass was found on Île Vertein Quebec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent region. This is practically the…

|Marine Mammal Emergencies 14/7/2022

Memorable Observations

When it comes to marine mammals, sometimes no two days are alike. For several weeks, a resident of Tadoussac had been…

|Observation of the Week 14/7/2022

Living According to the Rhythm of the Whales

There are enormous benefits to working and living in whale country.  Now my home base, Tadoussac is a tourist destination for…

|Observation of the Week 7/7/2022

“Now the season can start!”

A certain enchantment can sometimes develop between whales and the naturalists who observe them. For naturalist and wildlife photographer Renaud…

|Observation of the Week 30/6/2022

Spring 2022: A Busy Season for QMMERN 

Seal pups harassed on the beaches, discovery of pinniped carcasses along the shores, vagrant minke whales in Montréal: these are…

|Marine Mammal Emergencies 23/6/2022

A Funny Coincidence

Belugas took full advantage of their first day of calm in the Saguenay Fjord. Many light-coloured backs were present in…

|Observation of the Week 23/6/2022

Action Near the Coast

From the small harbour porpoise to the titanic blue whale: the wide range of sightings offered by the St. Lawrence…

|Observation of the Week 16/6/2022

Humpbacks Stealing the Show!

Exuberant, splashy, and ubiquitous, humpback whales sometimes tend to turn our attention away from other cetaceans. And not only when…

|Observation of the Week 9/6/2022

A spout to kick off the day

Sometimes you have to get up at the crack of dawn if you want to be rewarded with exciting observations.…

|Observation of the Week 2/6/2022

Seals That Don’t Need Our Help

Spring is here and the seal pupping season is in full swing. The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN)…

|Marine Mammal Emergencies 30/5/2022