B093

This week, exceptionally, we present three blue whales that have recently been identified in the marine park. Individuals are differentiated by the color pattern on their backs. Also, in the St. Lawrence, 15 to 18% of these whales show their tails when they dive. This is the case with Jaw-Breaker: her tail has an easily identifiable white spot, but pay attention to the details, as she is not the only one with a spot in this location.

B093 is one of the oldest males known and identified by the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) led by Richard Sears. Identified several times in the estuary, in 2012, B093 was observed off the coast of Nova Scotia. This year, he has been observed by several cruise ship passengers off the coast of Les Escoumins and Les Bergeronnes. B197 is also one of the blue whales seen in the marine park in recent weeks. As for Jaw-Breaker, the cruise ship favorite was finally spotted. Two other blue whales have also been identified in the estuary in recent weeks: B275 and B236.

Blue whales are animals that are often observed alone. But in the St. Lawrence, they sometimes form pairs, more or less stable, in early fall. These associations last for more than a day, up to several weeks. According to MICS biopsy monitoring, these are most often male-female pairs. Pairing could be a precursor to reproduction in these animals, which takes place during the winter season. Sometimes a second male joins the pair and the three individuals participate in what is called a rumba; the female swims in front and the two males compete to be closest to her. After a race, which can last several hours, one of the males gives up and the other becomes the female’s escort. Do these pairs actually lead to reproduction between the two individuals? That’s a difficult question to answer in the short term! In 2010, B093 was observed participating in one of these rumbas.