Magazine
Why do seals come out of the water?
Seals and sea lions share an ancestor that was exclusively terrestrial. Their physiological evolution has left traces and they must…
Saguenay-St. Lawrence marine park: 20 years of conservation efforts
The Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park as we know it today was created in 1998. However, it took several decades of…
What makes the St. Lawrence so productive?
The St. Lawrence River is known for its rich waters and high production of phytoplankton, the basis of the food…
Do humpbacks form clans?
Associations between individuals of the same species are well documented in toothed whales. Indeed, the formation of social "clans" has…
Do whales use vocal cords to produce sound?
The structures responsible for sound production differ between toothed whales and baleen whales, but exactly how they work remains poorly…
At What Age do Belugas Begin to Feed on Fish?
A beluga mother typically nurses her offspring for 18 months. At that point, the calf's teeth are very small or…
What Attracts Grey Seals to the Estuary?
Recently they have been observed gathered in groups of over 50 individuals, hunting in the tide rips. In the fall,…
Baleen Whales Possess a Unique Intestinal Microbial Flora
Their intestinal flora has characteristics of that of both carnivorous mammals and ruminants. Bacteria similar to those that can degrade…
US Navy to Limit its Military Activities for the Sake of Whale Conservation
An agreement has been signed between the US Navy and environmental groups to limit military activities that are harmful to…
How Far Away Can Sperm Whales Detect Their Prey?
In order to be able to feed in waters over 1,500 m deep where light is absent, the sperm whale…
What are the causes of mortality of the whales being found on the coasts of Alaska and British Columbia in recent months?
Over thirty whales have been found dead off the coasts of Alaska and British Columbia in the past few months.…
How Can Microscopic Algae Kill a 45-tonne Whale?
[caption id="attachment_14093" align="alignright" width="150"] © Pêches et Océans Canada M Starr[/caption] First and foremost, the many species of phytoplankton are…
Beaked Whale Ancestors Hunted Mostly Near the Surface
The discovery of a fossil of a beaked whale (Messapicetus gragarius) dating back 9 million years reveals that this animal…
What do Minke Whales do in the estuary of St. Lawrence?
The minke whale is a fast and agile predator, but as with any marine mammal, it must come to the…
Can whales experience the bends like divers do?
The bends are a type of decompression sickness associated primarily with divers using a compressed air tank. As the regulator…
New Version of Large Rorqual Catalogue Released!
The Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) and Parks Canada, along with their financial partners Fondation de…
Do Tides Have an Influence on Whales?
Tides – generally two high and two low per day – generate and influence ocean currents. In turn, these currents…
Which Cultures Still Practise Traditional Whaling?
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) authorizes and regulates so-called aboriginal "subsistence" whaling. It is practised today in Greenland (Denmark), Siberia…
What are Mass Strandings and What Causes Them?
A beached animal might be sick, exhausted, injured or disoriented. If it is a young individual, it may be due…
Whales and Dolphins in Aquariums: A Heated Debate
This sensitive topic has been subject of heated debate for decades. The opening of Marine Land Studio in Florida in…
How Do the Ventral Grooves of Rorquals Function?
The word “rorqual” comes from the Norwegian rorkval, which means “tubed” or “furrow-bellied” whale. The name refers to the folds…
Which Cetacean Species are Extinct?
At the present time, there are very few extinct whales, although some – described later in this article – have…
How Does Digestion Take Place in Whales?
The digestive systems of whales consists of an esophagus, a compartmentalized stomach (similar to that of ruminants like cows or…