Yorkie
Beluga
Adopted by Fairmont Royal York
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ID number
DL0062
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Sex
Male
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Year of birth
Before 1973
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Known Since
1989
Distinctive traits
The many intricate details of Yorkie’s dorsal crest make it easy to distinguish him from other belugas. Some markings have become more pronounced, but in 30 years, the profile of his crest has remained almost unchanged.
Life history
When we first met Yorkie in 1989, he was immaculately white. He would therefore have been born before 1973.
Yorkie’s sex was confirmed by a biopsy on July 31, 1997 at 3:51 pm : he is a male. He is believed to be part of one of two networks of males that frequent the Saguenay Fjord and its mouth.
Yorkie can be recognized by his distinctive dorsal crest. Unlike many whales, belugas don’t have a dorsal fin, but a fine crest. They are Arctic whales. To survive in ice-infested environments, belugas have, among other things, thick skin and a dorsal crest to limit heat loss and break ice up to a certain thickness.
Observations history in the Estuary
Years in which the animal was not observed Years in which the animal was observed
Latest news
We’re off cap de Bon-Désir. We come across a herd of around twenty individuals. Their size suggests that they are males. The animals are rather irregular in their movements, circling and vocalizing on the surface. After an hour in this area, we see two individuals moving up the estuary and stopping at cap Granite, leaving the dozen or so other belugas downstream.
Sponsor
Fairmont Royal York adopted Yorkie (1998).