Tagalimentation
How do whales keep warm in frigid waters?
As part of Science Literacy Week taking place from September 18 to 24 under the theme “Energy,” the Whales Online…
How long can blue whales hold their breath?
The blue whale has a dive time that varies from around 10 to 30 minutes, which is not enough to…
North Atlantic Right Whales: On a Quest for Food
Since 2015, an uptick in the presence of North Atlantic right whales has been observed in the Gulf of St.…
Living According to the Rhythm of the Whales
There are enormous benefits to working and living in whale country. Now my home base, Tadoussac is a tourist destination for…
Action Near the Coast
From the small harbour porpoise to the titanic blue whale: the wide range of sightings offered by the St. Lawrence…
What do killer whales eat?
We all have in mind that killer whales are super-predators that can attack the largest animals on the planet: blue…
How much food does a blue whale eat?
Tipping the scales at up to 135 tonnes, the blue whale is the largest animal on our planet. Seeing the…
An Oral Plug to Prevent Whales from Choking on Seawater
The rorqual family includes the largest animals on the planet. In order to satisfy their gargantuan energy needs by gulping…
North Atlantic Right Whales: Climate Refugees
The North Atlantic right whale population is down to approximately 350 individuals and is critically endangered. The recovery of this…
Southern Resident Killer Whales: J-Pod Missing for 108 Days
Since 2013, the southern resident killer whale population has been exhibiting unusual behaviours that are worrying scientists. Strangely enough, this…
Role Play in Porpoises
Rarely studied in Quebec, porpoises were recently the focus of a study on feeding behaviours. Using drones, researchers at the…
Dinner is served!
“The capelin are rolling like crazy here in the Gaspé,” says one observer. “At least ten humpbacks have been tallied…
400-Metre Regulatory Distance for Blue Whales Proving Effective
In the presence of watercraft, blue whales reduce both the duration and depth of their dives. A recent simulation-based study…
St. Lawrence Temperatures on the Rise in 2020
The environment of cetaceans in the St. Lawrence Estuary and Gulf is changing. Peter Galbraith, physical oceanographer at Fisheries and…
Whale Fossils Reveal Their Secrets
In 2020, a fossil dating from the Oligocene was studied in South Carolina by a US research team. The fossil…
Could one be eaten by a whale?
In the animated film Pinocchio, the famous puppet is swallowed by a whale, then lives in its belly for a…
What do St. Lawrence belugas eat?
It may seem surprising, but up until a few months ago, the diet of the St. Lawrence beluga was not…
How do we know how big a blue whale gulp is?
For researchers, studying the giants of the seas is no easy task! For example, how do they quantify how much…
Do humpback whales have friends?
Since arriving in the Marine Park area, Tic Tac Toe has been observed multiple times with another female nicknamed Snowball.…
What is ambergris?
Sperm whales are known and have been hunted for their production of ambergris, a substance of great value that has…
A diver caught in a whale’s mouth?
While feeding at the surface, a Bryde's whale accidentally snatched up a diver, who found himself, from the waist up,…
An ancient whale with neither teeth or baleen
Museum collections are full of fossils that haven’t been carefully examined in years. However, by taking a closer look at…
Trap-Feeding: a New Creative Feeding Method
Innovation often derives from need. So has been the case for humpback whales off northeastern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Humpbacks…
What Good is Whale Poo?
By Célia Baratier In summer, whales find themselves in the St. Lawrence to stock up on food. Krill and fish…
Since whales and ungulates share a common ancestor, are the former able to ruminate?
Whales are carnivores that feed on small shrimp-like crustaceans. Yet their digestive systems do not resemble those of carnivorous mammals.…
Never before seen footage of fin whale feeding behavior
By François Vachon The scientific team from EDMAKTUB filmed unprecedented images of fin whales surface feeding off the coast of…
Do whales drink salt water?
By Sonia Villalon Despite a few exceptions, pinnipeds and cetaceans do not usually drink. In most cases, water is supplied…
How does a predator go about eating an eight-legged prey almost as big as itself?
With no hands, how can one get the better of a live eight-armed prey measuring over one metre long equipped…
At What Age do Belugas Begin to Feed on Fish?
A beluga mother typically nurses her offspring for 18 months. At that point, the calf's teeth are very small or…
How Does Digestion Take Place in Whales?
The digestive systems of whales consists of an esophagus, a compartmentalized stomach (similar to that of ruminants like cows or…
Getting to Know the Herring of the St. Lawrence Upper Estuary, a Beluga Prey
This project, which began last year, focuses in particular on the spawning grounds of this small silver fish. Herring migrate…