Pilote BSL
Beluga
Adopted by la Corporation des pilotes du Bas-Saint-Laurent
-
ID number
DL0020
-
Sex
Unknown
-
Year of birth
Around 1972
-
Known Since
1986
Distinctive traits
Only the left side of Pilote BSL is known. On the flank is a circle with a dot in the middle. Its dorsal crest bears a wide notch in the anterior part.
Life history
We first met Pilote BSL in 1986. On its skin, we could still see fragments of slightly gray colored skin. It would have been born around 1972.
The lack of data on its habits and affiliations means that we can’t yet identify the area it frequents, and hence its sex.
Could Pilot BSL be male? On the three occasions we observed it, it was accompanied by the males Kilt and Walter. Without a genetic analysis, when we have several data on an individual, it’s still possible to presume its sex. Adult belugas are highly sex-segregated in summer. Males and females show clearly marked preferences, both in their associations and in the areas they frequent. However, in the case of Pilote BSL, the lack of data prevents us from identifying the areas it frequents.
Observations history in the Estuary
Years in which the animal was not observed Years in which the animal was observed
Latest news
Pilot BSL was last seen some thirty years ago. What happened to it? Did it die? Has it remained invisible to researchers all this time? One thing is certain, its story remains a valuable source of information for our knowledge of this fragile population.
Sponsor
La Corporation des pilotes du Bas-Saint-Laurent adopted Pilote BSL (1988).