Magazine
An Exceptional Cetacean: Tool Use in Bottlenose Dolphins
In Shark Bay, Western Australia, a subset of the bottlenose dolphin population displays remarkable ingenuity. When foraging, they cover their…
Killer Whales: Male Offspring at the Expense of Maternal Reproductive Success
According to a study published in Current Biology, females in the small community of southern resident killer whales invest their…
Alloparental Care and Benefits for Young Belugas: Unanswered Questions
How do young belugas benefit from alloparental care? This is a question that Jaclyn Aubin and her colleagues tried to…
Fin whale breach: rare and enigmatic
The Mediterranean Sea is home to a unique population of fin whales that has evolved separately from the North Atlantic…
Whales and Seals, Rain or Shine
The heavy rains and strong winds that pounded “La Belle Province” in recent days have certainly made watching marine mammals…
Do whales exhibit altruism? (Part 3 of 3) The example of cetaceans in the wild
Caring for sick, injured or dead individuals – otherwise known as epimeletic behaviour – is a common form of expression…
Do whales exhibit altruism? (Part 2 of 3) The example of dolphins
Like humpbacks, toothed whales (odontocetes) and dolphins in particular stand out for their altruistic behaviour. However, the nature of this…
Snow Cone: Emblem of its Species’ Desperate Struggle
In December 2021, scientists felt a glimmer of hope when Snow Cone was spotted with a newborn, despite the fact…
Do whales exhibit altruism? (Part 1 of 3) The Example of Humpback Whales
It is difficult to determine with certainty the altruistic character of a given animal behaviour. Indeed, guessing their motive is…
Harbour Seals in St. Lawrence Affected by Avian Flu
Last June, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) received an abnormally high number of reports of dead or…