Tagcomportement
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…
Where do whales get their scars?
Some whales bear reminders of their past. Sometimes inconspicuous, sometimes more pronounced, scars of all shapes and sizes mark the…
Decoding Killer Whale Friendships with Drones
Much like humans, killer whales can’t choose their family, but they can at least decide which of their little cousins they want…
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…
Conceiving the Inconceivable (2/2): Templates for Humpback Whale Songs
As early as the 1980s, whale song research pioneer Roger Payne stated that “It is inconceivable that such rapid and…
Conceiving the Inconceivable (1/2): Metamorphosis of Humpback Whale Songs
Cultural transmission is a widely-accepted hypothesis within the scientific community to explain the movement and transformation of humpback whale songs through space…
What do we mean by “fidelity” when we talk about whales?
It is sometimes said that Tic Tac Toe, Capitaine Crochet or Ti-Croche are “faithful” whales, but what does this really…
Documentary “The Loneliest Whale”: The Importance of Epic Stories to Raise Public Awareness
In the documentary The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52, a group of scientists sets out to find a whale…
Allocare in Belugas: Still a Mysterious Behaviour
Perched atop a tower in the middle of Baie Sainte-Marguerite, Jaclyn Aubin peered down on belugas for two summers (2017…
Role Play in Porpoises
Rarely studied in Quebec, porpoises were recently the focus of a study on feeding behaviours. Using drones, researchers at the…
How do whales show their emotions?
Whales produce viscous tears (article in French) that serve to protect their eyes from debris. Are these tears also used…
Recognizing the culture of whales in order to better protect them
If we truly want to protect whales – and other species as well for that matter – biologists must understand…
Are the social relationships of belugas similar to our own?
Belugas live in remarkably complex societies with very diverse relationships, so much so that they might be considered closer to…
Are whales diurnal or nocturnal?
Within the animal kingdom, most species adjust their periods of sleep and activity according to a repeated 24-hour cycle called…
Is it possible to collect dead whale skin in the St. Lawrence?
One reader sent us this video from Blue Planet Live in which researchers were collecting pieces of dead skin that…
Why do seals come out of the water?
Seals and sea lions share an ancestor that was exclusively terrestrial. Their physiological evolution has left traces and they must…
What is this beluga doing with this piece of wood?
By Maureen Jouglain In this video taken in the summer of 2016 off the land-based Pointe-Noire Interpretation and Observation Centre,…
Young Seal on the River Banks: Do Not Disturb!
The months of May and June are pupping season for harbour seals. Every year, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response…