Charlotte
Beluga
Adopted by The Prince Edward Hotel, CP Hotels
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ID number
DL0176
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Sex
Male
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Year of birth
Before 1974
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Known Since
1986
Distinctive traits
Charlotte’s signature is on the back of his head. There’s a scar on his back that runs down both sides. The details of his irregular dorsal crest also help to distinguish him.
Life history
Charlotte was officially identified in 1991, but an initial series of photos suggests that we first observed him in 1986. He was already immaculately white. He was therefore born before 1974.
His associations and the areas he frequents clearly indicate that Charlotte is a male. He is a member of one of the two networks of males that frequent the Saguenay fjord and its mouth.
There are two networks of males that frequent the head of the Laurentian Channel and the Saguenay Fjord. Another network of males, the “Downstream boys”, also use the head of the channel and the downstream portion of the estuary. Although their territories overlap, individuals from one network have very little contact with males from other networks. Within these networks, there are bands, i.e. small groups of males regularly seen together. Charlotte is often seen in summer with the same males. This companionship could be linked to a breeding strategy.
Observations history in the Estuary
Years in which the animal was not observed Years in which the animal was observed
Latest news
Charlotte is off Ile Rouge. He swims past some twenty individuals, a herd of adults and calves. After an observation time of one hour, we leave the herd and on our way out, we observe fin whales in the distance.
Charlotte’s last sighting was over fifteen years ago. What happened to it? Is it dead? Has it remained invisible to the eye of the researcher all this time? One thing is certain, her story remains a valuable source of information for our knowledge of this fragile population.
Sponsor
The Prince Edward Hotel, CP Hotels adopted Charlotte (1999).