H944, a.k.a “Katana”

So far, there has been no sign of H944, nicknamed “Katana” by the estuary cruise industry, in the St. Lawrence. In 2024, this humpback whale arrived in late July and spent several weeks near Saint-Siméon, far from its fellow whales. In September, fresh lesions, which did not threaten its survival, were observed near its peduncle. H944 was observed in the St. Lawrence until October. Humpback whale H919, also observed every year since 2019, is also missing this year. The absence of stars such as Siam (H007), Irisept (H492) and Chewbacca (H824) is also noticeable. Will they come swimming here soon? Last year, several large whales joined the estuarine waters in late August and even September! Humpback whales travel immense distances each year before reaching the St. Lawrence, so it is normal for their arrival date to fluctuate from year to year. It is also possible that the presence of some individuals has gone unnoticed until now, or that they have stopped elsewhere along the way to feed. We know that there is krill in the estuary and that several large whales have been seen feeding. So we are keeping our eyes open for H944’s distinctive tail fluke, because the season is far from over!

Spotted every year since 2018, the humpback whale H944 has just arrived in the estuary along with H930, sometimes nicknamed “Guadeloupe”. Last summer, these two individuals had been observed together on numerous occasions. Do whales develop friendships? According to a study carried out in the Gulf of St. Lawrence by the MICS, humpback whales often form short-term associations on feeding grounds, for a few hours or days. However, only two types of associations last over time: those between a male and a non-lactating female, which rarely last more than two weeks, and those between two non-lactating females of similar age, which can extend over an entire feeding season and even last six consecutive summers. Thus, H944 and H930 may be seen together for several more years! It is likely that these female relationships break down during the winter, as pairs are rarely seen during migration and the breeding season. As of December 2020, H944 was still in the estuary and last June she was photographed in the waters of Maine. However, it is important to remember that humpback whales’ vocalizations cross many kilometers, so they could be in contact even when they do not see or touch each other. The formation of stable pairs could allow females to optimize their feeding maneuvers, on which their survival and ability to reproduce depend.