News
GNL Québec Promises Fund to Curb Underwater Noise Pollution
In a press release, GNL Québec has undertaken to set up a $5M fund to support projects reducing the underwater…
Marie-Hélène D’Arcy: GREMM’s Keenest Eye
To mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the Whales Online team decided to retrace the journey of technician Marie-Hélène D’Arcy,…
Calving Humpback Caught on Film for First Time
February 3, off the coast of Maui, Hawaii: The captain of a whale-watching cruise observes three humpback whales. According to…
Deep Thinkers: Inside the Minds of Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises: journey into the world of cetaceans
A new publication on marine mammals. Long fascinated by cetacean intelligence, Janet Mann, professor of biology and psychology at Washington,…
North Atlantic Right Whale: Dismal Record Mitigated by Mobilization
The future is an increasingly gloomy one for the North Atlantic right whale, an endangered species whose numbers have been…
Two Beats a Minute Underwater: A Lesson in Blue Whale Cardio!
In an uncommon exercise in cetacean research, a team successfully placed a tag with electrodes on the back of a…
Calf and Female Mortality in Belugas: “Problem No. 1”
November 9, 2019: The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network receives a report of a female beluga carcass on the…
World Marine Mammal Conference in Barcelona: Spotlight on the St. Lawrence!
Some 2,500 biologists, veterinarians, conservationists and wildlife managers from 95 countries are gearing up to gather in Barcelona for the…
Whispering and avoiding predators!
A number of studies show that in different species of baleen whales, mothers and their offspring communicate in a very…
Humpback whales eat with their hands
The pectoral fins of humpback whales, with their enormous size and jagged edges, are quite different from those of other…
Belugas entrusted to Quebec premier and canadian prime minister
Scientists are concerned: not only have the federal and provincial governments been slow to implement a recovery strategy for the…
Post-whaling Recovery: The Beautiful Story Of Humpbacks
This year in the St. Lawrence, no fewer than 13 mother-calf humpback pairs have been identified by teams from the…
Contaminants Blamed for Throwing Genes Out of Whack
More and more studies are suggesting that numerous so-called endocrine disruptors are accumulating in the tissues of whales and posing…
Are the blue whales in the St. Lawrence getting enough to eat?
In summer, the St. Lawrence is a feeding ground for a number of blue whales of the northwest Atlantic population.…
Contaminants Blamed for Throwing Genes Out of Whack
More and more studies are suggesting that numerous so-called endocrine disruptors are accumulating in the tissues of whales and posing…
Activist Greta Thunberg Meets with GREMM
On September 30, leading climate activist Greta Thunberg accompanied the scientific research team of the Group for Research and Education…
Do Blue Whales Serenade Their Partners?
For four decades, research on blue whale behaviour has been trying to unravel the mysteries of their reproduction. A bit…
Right Whale Carcass Found in US Identified As Snake Eyes
The North Atlantic right whale carcass found off Long Island, New York on September 16 was identified by the New…
Extremely rare adoption by a dolphin
In 2014, in French Polynesia, a female bottlenose dolphin nicknamed “Thaïs” is observed with her first calf. Two months later,…
Are whale protection and research work compatible?
Better understanding cetaceans to better protect them is the goal of many researchers working on these giants of the seas.…
Video of Beluga Playing with a Gull
A video of a beluga taking a gull in its mouth, following it around and even trying to taunt it…
Studying Fin Whale Distribution to Understand Their Decline
The team at the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) has been observing fewer and fewer fin whales in the northern…
Voice Your Opinion of the “Impact of Noise on the Beluga Whale at Risk in the St. Lawrence Estuary” Action Plan
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, together with numerous collaborators, has produced an action plan entitled “Impact of noise…
Military Sonar: A Threat to Blue Whale’s Recovery?
A new study published in Experimental Biology showed that military sonar can affect the behaviour of the blue whales studied off the…
Study Whales to Beat Cancer?
According to a study published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, whales have mechanisms to protect themselves against cancer. Since the…
Does cat poop pose a problem for belugas?
On cat litter bags is a warning for pregnant women concerning a parasite found in cat feces. What is even…
Four Necropsies, Three Collisions
Preliminary results of the fourth North Atlantic right whale necropsy have just been announced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The…
Concerns for the Welfare of Eight Captive Whales Returned to the Wild
Since November 2018, 87 belugas and 10 killer whales have been illegally held captive in a “whale prison” off Nakhodka…
Stranded Grey Whales and Stranded Right Whales: Same Difference?
In early June, the carcass of a female grey whale washes ashore in British Columbia, close to the US border. This is…
Right whales : fishing closures and new technologies for crabbing industry
On May 13, the first North Atlantic right whales of the season were observed via aerial survey in the Gulf of…
Species at Risk: Fin Whales on the Rebound, Concerns for Sei Whales and Sowerby’s Beaked Whales
On May 6, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) convened in St. John's, Newfoundland, to…
Complex rescue operation for whales captured in Russia
Since November 2018, 87 belugas and 11 killer whales have been illegally held captive in a “whale prison” off Nakhodka…
Sanctuary for Retired Belugas: A World First
Two belugas currently living in an aquarium in Shanghai, China, are getting ready to fly to Iceland. The two whales…
L’épaulard : la plus grande peur du grand requin blanc
Imaginons un instant que le redoutable requin des «Dents de la mer» se retrouve face à face avec le sympathique…
Fossil of four-legged, amphibious whale discovered in Peru
The terrestrial ancestors of whales first entered the water some 50 million years ago in the region around India and…
Decline in fin whales in gulf of St-Lawrence
Fin whales in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence are in decline, according to a new study published in the…
The St.Lawrence challenge : companies pledge to reduce plastic consumption
The St. Lawrence Challenge is a recognition and commitment program aimed at businesses and recreational tourism establishments that wish to…
Contaminated belugas : Major project launched to understand contamination and its effects
To protect an endangered species, one needs to understand the factors inhibiting its recovery. In the case of the St.…
Prince Albert II of Monaco foundation (Canada) offers $150,000 for St.Lawrence beluga research
Montréal, March 5, 2019: In the presence of His Serene Highness Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco and several directors…
Short bios of women in marine biology
Since 1975, International Women’s Day has been celebrated on March 8. In Canada, women currently account for just one-third of…
Blue whale migratory traditions
Every day, blue whales must devour up to 4 tonnes of krill before they are full. With such an enormous appetite, it’s…
Solitary dolphins and belugas : independant or lost?
The female dolphin known as “Dolphy” regularly plays with swimmers and boats in the French port of Collioure. It is…
A seventh calf, but not a baby boom
Since the beginning of the right whale calving season, 7 newborns have been observed. Although the announcement of a seventh…
Sonars militaires et échouages massifs : le lien confirmé
Noise pollution is a growing threat for whales, notably for the beluga population of the St. Lawrence, which is affected…
Right whales : similar measures for 2019
The North Atlantic right whale protection measures for 2019 have been announced, and will include measures better suited to the…
Climate bill to give whales a little boost?
A few days before Christmas, the Pact for Transition offered a “climate anti-deficit” bill to Quebec Premier François Legault. This…
Six newborn right whales : a glimmer of hope
Update of 12 February 2019: A fifth and a sixth calf has been confirmed. Since North Atlantic right whales have…
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…
Putting a face to a call : identifying belugas acoustically
A herd of belugas breaks through the surface of the water as their squawks, chirps, whistles and grunts fill the…
The right whale tale : a year-in-review (2018)
Once believed to be the “right” whales to hunt, the endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) population has been…
Whales on the Big Screen
The Whale Online team has compiled a list of its favourite films and TV series for a home theatre session with whale…
Right whales : the situation in 2018
2017 was a grim year for the North Atlantic right whales. The deaths of 18 right whales created a shock wave…
North Atlantic right whales : strong presence continues in 2018
The southeastern Gulf of St. Lawrence was home to nearly half of the North Atlantic right whale population this summer,…
Whales stressed up to their ears
Unlike humans, who can clean out the wax that covers their external ear canal (not with Q-tips of course!), whales…
Une nouvelle technique d’alimentation chez les rorquals à bosse
L’innovation découle souvent d’un besoin. Il en est ainsi pour les rorquals à bosse qui fréquentent le large du nord-est…
Southern resident killer whales : new measures announced
The Government of Canada announced further actions to help protect the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKWs) on October 31,…
Belugas in aquariums : a brief history
Follow us on a journey that will take you from the St. Lawrence to Vancouver via Russia, New York and…
Whales with different methods of filtering
Baleen refers to the stiff plates of keratin that hang off the upper jaw of some whales, more precisely mysticetes……
Slowing down, for the whales’ sake
A ship that strikes a whale can cause the latter serious injury. In the St. Lawrence, fin whales are particularly…
Protecting species at risk : “Ottawa not doing enough“, says environment commissioner
Delays in the development of action plans, lack of resources, lack of support to partner organizations, neglect that has likely…
Glasses to see the world like a whale
How would you like to “see” the world the same way a dolphin, a beluga or a sperm whale does?…
Opening of the Northwest passage : marine mammals at risk
With Arctic shipping routes increasingly used by merchant shipping, an ice-free Arctic Ocean could put the resistance and adaptability of…
Wave of solidarity for belugas
The summer of 2018 has seen a succession of announcements for investments and new projects designed to better understand and…
Port developments on the Saguenay: Fisheries and Oceans Canada experts sceptical
Two marine terminal development projects could triple maritime traffic in the Saguenay and lead to a 10% increase in traffic…
Whaling : poised to fizzle out?
In early July, images of whaling sparked a controversy. Sea Shepherd is concerned that Icelandic whalers have slaughtered a blue whale, which…
Menopause in belugas and narwhals
Menopause is a rather rare phenomenon. And yet a study published in Scientific Reports reveals that the females of two species of…
Whaling : hunting in the 21st century
In early July, images of whaling sparked a controversy. Sea Shepherd is concerned that Icelandic whalers have slaughtered a blue whale,…
Hydrodynamics of humpbacks as a health indicator
The way whales slip through the water can tell us if they are in good physical shape, reveals a study published…
Analyzing Underwater Sound as if Playing a Video Game
A simulator of marine mammal movements and shipping traffic will be given a new lease of life thanks to a…
The Nepisiguit beluga is alive and well
Great news! The beluga that was trapped in the Nepisiguit River in New Brunswick and relocated to the St. Lawrence…
First case of right whale entanglement in 2018
July 13, 2018, 14:45, off the coast of New Brunswick’s Miscou Island, an aerial survey conducted by the National Oceanic and…
Protecting belugas from increasing shipping traffic in the arctic
The Arctic is undergoing a transformation. Melting pack ice is opening up new shipping routes and setting the stage for…
11-metre buffer established for observing whales in Canada
Marine mammal conservationists have reason to celebrate: From now on, it will be forbidden to approach within 100 metres of…
Banc-des-Américains : a new marine protected Area
The governments of Quebec and Canada have announced the creation of a new jointly-managed marine protected area at the American…
Saguenay-St. Lawrence marine park: 20 yeas of conservation efforts
The Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park as we know it today was created in 1998. However, it took several decades of…
A new measure for belugas in the marine park
Calving season for St. Lawrence belugas is right around the corner, and to provide these animals with an area of…
27 right whale sightings later, a normal fishing season
Five aircraft conducting aerial surveillance have spotted up to 27 right whales this season, which has resulted in several fishing…
Robots amongst the whales
Remote-controlled gadgets are becoming more popular for studying whales. Some have wings; some have propellers; other have sails or even…
Beluga, what are you doing under the water?
The lives of diving animals take place for the most part under water, out of human sight. Can we, by…
First right whale observed in Canadian waters
Off the coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first right whale of the season was observed during aerial surveillance…
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…
Right whales: measures to prevent entanglements and collisions
Although changes made to the fishing season are of concern to many workers, be they fishermen or processing plant employees,…
Right whales: an entangled whale named Kleenex
Researchers call her Kleenex. Known since 1977, this right whale has been swimming with a rope wrapped around her head…
Federal government announces new protective measures for right whales
By François Vachon The year 2017 was a particularly grim year for right whales. A total of 17 carcasses were…
An elusive species faces extinction
Researchers are sounding the alarm to prevent the imminent disappearance of the Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s whale. “This mammal is…
Stopping the flow of plastics into the ocean
Last week, the European Commission unveiled its strategy for reducing the amount of plastic waste landfilled and discharged into the…
New fishery management measures in effort tu curb right whale mortality
Four new management measures for the snow crab fishery have been announced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada Minister Dominic LeBlanc…
Mortalité de baleines noires 2017 : le dossier
En 2017, 17 carcasses de baleines noires ont été trouvées dans l’Atlantique Nord, près des côtes canadienne et états-unienne. Pour…
What NASA data can tell us about mass strandings
Solar storms are not the primary cause of mass cetacean strandings in Cape Cod Bay, claims a new study conducted…
Do dolphins get Alzheimer’s?
For the first time, a study has shown clear signs of Alzheimer’s disease in a wild animal: the dolphin. Both…
Drilling near the St. Lawrence: A threat to marine mammals?
Between now and Christmas, the Government of Quebec is hoping to put into place a regulatory framework for hydrocarbon exploitation…
Studying reproduction like two matching pieces of a puzzle
Do female dolphins have any control over which male they reproduce with? The question seems straightforward, but the method of…
Right whales still present in gulf
At least 15 right whale sightings were made in the Gulf of St. Lawrence during the week of November 17,…
Could solar storms be to blame for a mass stranding?
The stranding of 29 sperm whales in the North Sea in early 2016 may have been caused by solar storms…
Boats to maintain greater distance from killer whales
By next spring, vessels off the coast of British Columbia will no longer be permitted to approach within 200 metres…
Bigger brain, greater degree of sociability?
Is there a correlation between brain size and the diversity of social behaviours exhibited by a species? In cetaceans, it…
Microorganisms in whale breath
A large group of bacteria was identified for the first time in the breath (or blow) of humpback whales. Whether…
Underwater mines: biologists concerned
Japan announced last week that it had successfully extracted zinc, gold, copper and lead from the seabed along the coast…
North Atlantic right whales declining since 2010, confirms study
Thanks to a new statistical model, US government researchers and the New England Aquarium are able to more accurately estimate…
Who wants to play beluga researcher?
A team of researchers from Manitoba needs your eyes to sort through thousands of underwater photos of belugas. Are you…
Ancient whales with teeth like lions
Ancient whales had extremely sharp teeth, similar to those of land-based predators such as lions and dingoes, recently discovered researchers…
Reduced speed limits for ships: an effective measure for protecting whales?
In order to protect North Atlantic right whales, the Canadian government has temporarily reduced speed limits for large vessels in…
Whales, death and mourning
By Maureen Jouglain An understanding of death and reaction to the loss of a loved one are generally considered to…
Studying Gannets to better understand the feeding activities of whales
A text from Sonia Villalon The monitoring of northern gannet populations (Morus bassanus) is of particular interest for understanding changes…
On the path of the blue whale: from the St-Lawrence to the United States
By Maureen Jouglain A study published in July 2017 in the journal Endangered Species Research presents the first records of…
Whales in the nets
As evidenced by the news in the past few weeks, when whales get entangled in fishing gear, there can be…
Less and less oxygen in the St. Lawrence
During their recent mission aboard the Coriolis II, researchers observed the lowest concentrations of dissolved oxygen ever recorded in the…
Whale alert app now available in French
Whale Alert, an application developed to reduce the risk of collisions between ships and whales, is now available in French.…
Whale-watching tours: opportunities to educate and raise awareness?
A case study in Juneau, Alaska demonstrates the potential of whale-watching tours as an educational and public awareness tool for…
St. Lawrence week: fin whale
By Marie-Sophie Giroux Rapid and Agile Greyhound of the Sea During the St. Lawrence Week, Whales Online features every day…
Banned flame retardants still present in St. Lawrence belugas
Despite the measures that have been put into place in Canada since 2006 to reduce the concentrations of certain flame…
Vaquita could disappear within a year
On September 26, 2018, scientists aboard the Narval spotted a pair of vaquitas: one of the individuals was much smaller…
Blue whale feeding disturbed by nearby watercraft
According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Rimouski-based Institute of Ocean…
Summer closure of fisheries: a potential solution for protecting right whales?
To ensure the survival of the North Atlantic right whale, should we mitigate the risk of entanglements with fishing equipment?…
Toward a better co-existence of shipping traffic and belugas in the St. Lawrence
To facilitate the recovery of whales at risk in the St. Lawrence, researchers, wildlife managers and industry are working together…
Quantifying the number of belugas in the St. Lawrence
Article by Robert Michaud Fisheries and Oceans Canada recently published the results of the most recent St. Lawrence beluga census,…
North Atlantic right whales making headlines: what’s going on?
In recent months, the North Atlantic right whale has been much talked about. An unprecedented number of whales in Cape…
Studying whale breath: new discoveries and techniques
A Canadian-US research team has undertaken a study on the fungi and bacteria found in the breath of southern resident…
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…
Amendment to the marine activities in the Saguenay-St.Lawrence park regulations: greater protection for whales
Reduced speed for all boats in certain areas, prohibition of certain activities, clarification of the definition of disturbance to marine…
Harbour porpoise shows fastest developing hearing amongst mammals
Thirty hours: that’s all it takes for harbour porpoises to develop their hearing to the same level as adults. In…
Vancouver aquarium : end of captivity for cetaceans
On March 9, after two evenings of public hearings, the Vancouver Parks Commission decided: there will be no more cetaceans…
Counting whales from space
Can whales be counted using photos taken from outer space? Two researchers from Perth, Australia, are attempting to conduct a…
Hundreds of whales beached in New Zealand
Last weekend, over 600 pilot whales ran aground at Farewell Spit Beach in New Zealand. Hundreds of volunteers attempted to…
US standards to reduce global bycatch?
Since January 1, 2017, the United States has adopted a new seafood import regulation: foreign fisheries wishing to export to…
US standards to reduce global bycatch?
Since January 1, 2017, the United States has adopted a new seafood import regulation: foreign fisheries wishing to export to…
When opera embraces belugas: an encounter of great beauty!
A mother beluga and her offspring gracefully slip through the waters of the St. Lawrence under the watchful eye of…
When opera embraces belugas: an encounter of great beauty!
A mother beluga and her offspring gracefully slip through the waters of the St. Lawrence under the watchful eye of…
Marine mammals in a warmer and less icy St. Lawrence
A study released this month by the Maurice Lamontagne Institute of Fisheries and Oceans Canada reveals that significant changes are…
Baby on mom’s left or right?
Do you tend to carry your baby on your left? And does your child tend to position themselves so that…
A recovery plan for the Alaskan belugas
In these early days of 2017, the US government released its Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Recovery Plan, a population listed as…
A recovery plan for Alaskan belugas
In these early days of 2017, the US government released its Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Recovery Plan, a population listed…
Baby beluga in the limelight in 2016
Reported on Radio-Canada’s website by journalist Ariane Perron-Langlois, the story of the live newborn beluga found beached was one of…
New Marine Protected Area in the Canadian Arctic
On November 16, Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced the creation of the largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Canadian…
New marine protected area in the canadian arctic
On November 16, Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced the creation of the largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Canadian…
Become an Earth Ranger and Help Protect Belugas !
The Earth Rangers organization helps protect St. Lawrence belugas and invites all children and their families to participate in the…
National Oceans Protection Plan: Necessary, but…
Last week, the Government of Canada announced its $1.5 billion, 5-year National Oceans Protection Plan. The plan aims to create…
National oceans protection plan: necessary but….
Last week, the Government of Canada announced its $1.5 billion, 5-year National Oceans Protection Plan. The plan aims to create…
Beluga Skeleton at Collège Lionel-Groulx
Since late August 2016, there has been a new permanent resident in the Nature Wing of the Collège Lionel-Groulx: a…
Beluga skeleton at Lionel-Groulx college
Since late August 2016, there has been a new permanent resident in the Nature Wing of the Collège Lionel-Groulx: a…
Nine Populations of Humpbacks Taken off Endangered Species List
On September 6, 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US agency that manages and protects whale stocks,…
Safer Fishing Rope for Whales
The US government recently granted $180,000 to the New England Aquarium to design safer fishing gear for whales – namely…
Boater Awareness
In the latest issue of its magazine Plaisance (September 2016), the Regroupement des plaisanciers du Québec (Quebec boaters society, RQP) reminds recreational boaters of…
Leave it or learn
Last June 30, when a newborn beluga orphan was found on a beach in Rivière-du-Loup, a team from the Group for Research and…
Remarkable mobilization for the adoption of the beluga Amino
On June 12, 2016, following the broadcast of Animo on ICI Radio-Canada Télé, viewers rallied in large numbers to collectively adopt the eponymously-named…
A sanctuary for cetaceans: a controversial project
A group of activists has announced its plans to create the world’s first coastal sanctuary for cetaceans – whales, dolphins,…
Critical St.Lawrence beluga habitat to be protected at last
The Government of Canada has published a notice in the Canada Gazette announcing that under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA),…
Smarter seafood to extend to 40 species
Smarter Seafood recently unveiled the list of 41 marine species harvested using sustainable practices that are recommended for consumption for…
24 St.Lawrence belugas adopted!
In late 2014, the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) and its colleagues from the St. Lawrence Beluga…
Preserving habitats… so that they stay that way
A number of conservation projects aim to protect critical habitats for marine mammal populations with one of the objectives being…
As the crow flies: drones as a promising research tool
Drones offer researchers new means of obtaining data on wild animal populations. They help enlarge the field of view of…
Breaching: energy-intensive but beneficial for diving
Myoglobin carries and stores oxygen in the muscles of vertebrates. It is particularly abundant in marine mammals and is believed…
FIRST COLLECTIVE ADOPTION COMPLETED; DL0030 TO BE CALLED ATHÉNA
Almost a year to the day after the second wave of the Adopt a Beluga campaign was launched (in French), the first…
BELUGAS ON THE MOVE VIDEO CLIP PRESENTING THE PROJECT: STUNNING FOOTAGE
At the dawn of the beluga seasonal migration, one question remains: where will they winter? This is the question that…
A SECOND BEER FOR THE ADOPTION OF AL BY LES BIÈRES BÉLUGAS LTÉE
Anticipated announcement: the second in a series of three beers developed by the team from Les Bières Bélugas Ltée is…
US NAVY TO LIMIT ITS MILITARY ACTIVITIES FOR THE SAKE OF WHALE CONSERVATION
An agreement has been signed between the US Navy and environmental groups to limit military activities that are harmful to…
THE DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION PRESENTS THE ELECTIONS CHALLENGE: 100 DAYS TO PROTECT THE BELUGA
“Is the protection of the 900 belugas of the St. Lawrence one of your hopes for the future? What if…
INCREASINGLY TUNED IN TO WHALES, WHALES ONLINE PRESENTS ITS NEW COLOURS IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH
For its 15th anniversary, the reference site on whales of the St. Lawrence has been completely revamped. With a broader network…
SAILING EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF RIGHT WHALES IN THE GASPÉ
A number of observations of right whales have been reported throughout the summer at various locations in the Gulf of…