News
North Atlantic Right Whales Disturbingly Unfit
It is widely known that the North Atlantic right whale population is struggling, but a study has recently underscored just…
Putting One’s Pregnancy “On Pause”
In spring, many observers report seeing seals on the shores of the St. Lawrence. The sun is out more and…
Up-close Footage of Nursing Humpback
This video went viral on social networks around the globe. And for good reason. How awesome to view the world…
Arrival of Right Whales Triggers Protective Measures
After wintering in the coastal waters of Florida and Georgia, right whales are back in the Gulf of St. Lawrence!…
“Navigating Whale Habitat”: Free Training for Boaters and Kayakers
Are you an avid kayaker, sailboater or motorboat enthusiast, and do you frequent the St. Lawrence or the Saguenay? The…
No Whaling in Iceland This Year
In Iceland, the two main commercial whaling companies have announced in the past few days that they will not be…
Future sanctuary for captive Belugas in Nova Scotia
Creating a “retirement home” in the open sea that is capable of providing the best possible living conditions for whales…
Are whales affected by COVID-19?
This question comes to us via our Whales Online Facebook page: Could the current COVID-19 pandemic affecting humans around the globe…
COVID-19: Whales in Your Living Room – Part II!
Whether you’re on the North Shore or in the Gaspé Peninsula, when you live near the St. Lawrence, it’s easy…
COVID-19: Whales in Your Living Room
Whether you’re on the North Shore or in the Gaspé Peninsula, when you live near the St. Lawrence, it’s easy…
Humpback Whale Attacked by Great White Sharks
Researchers witnessed a rare event in Mossel Bay, at the southern tip of the African continent: two great white sharks…
A Fourth Generation Humpback Calf!
Good news! Aramis, daughter of the famous humpback whale Tic Tac Toe, recently gave birth to her very first documented…
Using Barnacles to Reconstruct Ancient Whale Migrations
Whales, which have been around for roughly 30 million years, are estimated to have reached their current size 4.5 million…
Slower boats, quieter boats?
In 2017, Ruth Joy and her team (ECHO) conducted a study on the correlation between speed limit reductions and noise…
Antibiotic Treatments for Whales: A Challenge
Across Canada and the US in early January, North Atlantic right whale experts, marine mammal veterinarians and whale rescue specialists…
Record Migration of Killer Whale Confirmed with Photo-ID
In early February, an adult male killer whale was spotted off the coast of Lebanon, near Beirut. A rare occurrence…
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…
Arctic Adventure: A Virtual Expedition on the Ice Floes for Elementary School Kids
Accompanied by experienced divers Jill Heinerth and Mario Cyr, discover the pack ice and its animals with Arctic Adventure, an…
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…
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…
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…
The Whale and the Raven : a documentary about the orcas and humpback whales of British Columbia
A new documentary was just released by the National Film Board of Canada. Here is the synopsis. «On the otherwise…
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…
“Losing the Saguenay acoustic refuge means risking irreparable impacts to belugas”
The Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) is publishing a video to answer the many questions that…
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…
PhD Project: Sources of Emerging Organic Contaminants to the Habitat of Endangered St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga
Project St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) Beluga has been designated as an endangered species since 2014 by the Committee on the…
Right Whales: Lifting of Speed Restrictions and Stranding of Fourth Carcass
Aerial surveillance over the past few weeks has not identified any North Atlantic right whales in dynamic speed limit corridors.…
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…
New PhD project : Environmental Contaminants, Body Condition and Photogrammetry of St. Lawrence Estuary Belugas
Project Title Environmental Contaminants, Body Condition and Photogrammetry of St. Lawrence Estuary Belugas Project Synopsis The St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE)…
PhD Scholarship Opportunity at UQO on belugas and recreational boating
PHD SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY Agent-based modelling of recreational boating in the St. Lawrence Estuary and the Saguenay River (Québec, Canada) to…
Seventh and Eighth Right Whale Carcasses Found
Two new cases of dead right whales have been confirmed today by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. According to the ministry,…
Cleanup of “seventh continent” set to begin
On September 8, The Ocean Cleanup project will deploy its first floating system designed to capture waste in the waters of the…
Conference: Finding Ways of Reducing the Threat of Vessel Traffic on Whales and Other Marine Mammals through Detection and Avoidance
Harald Yurk is a bioacoustics specialist with the Aquatic Ecosystems and Marine Mammals Division of Fisheries and Oceans Canada in…
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…
Tougher Prevention Measures to Protect North Atlantic Right Whales
Speed restrictions applied to a larger fleet, increased aerial surveillance, expanded speed limit area... The Government of Canada is announcing…
Right whales: disentanglement efforts progress
Right whales EG4423 and EG4440 are now swimming a little lighter since shedding some of the rope that had been…
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…
Six Right Whales Found Dead in Gulf of St. Lawrence
Fisheries and Oceans Canada confirms that two new North Atlantic right whale carcasses have been found, one on the coast…
Two New Carcasses and Second Right Whale Necropsy for 2019
The Government of Canada announced in a press release that it had discovered two new carcasses offshore, near the Acadian…
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…
Whale-watching Cruises Banned from Parts of Marine Park
Whale-watching cruises will no longer be able to ply the waters of certain sectors of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.…
The First Right Whale Necropsy of 2019
The North Atlantic right whale identified as Wolverine is currently analyzed on Miscou Island, New Brunswick. The necropsy requires the…
Right Whale Carcass Found Adrift in Gulf of St. Lawrence
A first North Atlantic right whale carcass has been discovered this year. North Atlantic right whales are considered endangered and…
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…
A Play Dedicated to Whale Researcher and Rescuer Jon Lien
Between Breaths highlights the unusual life story of Jon Lien (1939-2010), a pioneer of whale research in Canada. It is…
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…
Killer Whale: The Great White’s Greatest Fear
Imagine for a moment that the formidable shark in Jawswere to meet face to face with the friendly orca from…
Agendas for Belugas
What could be better than an agenda featuring whales to place them at the heart of our day-to-day concerns? This…
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…
Correlation Confirmed Between Military Sonar and Beaked Whale Mass Strandings
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…
Master and PhD on belugas
Two Master projects and a PhD project about belugas are recruiting! Master project - UQAR Master project - UQAM PhD…
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…
New status for fin whales: on the road to recovery?
Fin whales may not be the largest of the whales, but they are certainly one of the fastest! This advantage…
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…
It’s Now or Never for the Vaquitas
Latest sightings of calves bring a new hope for the cetacean that is face-to-face with extinction: the vaquita (Phocoena sinus).…
One Weekend; Two Mass Strandings in New Zealand
About 145 black-bodied whales laid out on a long, sandy beach when two hikers, Liz Carson and Julian Ripoll, stumbled…
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…
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,…
Mériscope: Overview of Minke Whales
A 23-foot orange Zodiac called Narval is used to approach minke whales. On board you will find the Mériscope crew,…
Ocean School: The Future of Ocean Literacy
Dive deep into the vast blue ocean with turtles, whales and fish right from the convenience of your home or…
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…
Postdoctoral fellowship offer – Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) in collaboration with GREMM
Project title Spatiotemporal Individual-Based Modelling of the St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga Population Project background and objectives St. Lawrence Estuary beluga…
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…
100-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…
Fishing Season Ends with No Reported Incidents Involving Right Whales
Over the next few days, the lobster and snow crab seasons will end in most parts of the Gulf 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…
A Summer School on Animal Cognition
Are fishes sentient? Do squid have a sense of self? Who are dolphins and can they be considered as nonhuman…
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…
Record Number of Humpbacks Identified in 2017
The Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) was able to identify 121 humpback whales in 2017, a record number! Of these, 98…
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…
Earth Day 2018: We all take a bit of the blame
Earth Day will be celebrated around the world on April 22. In Quebec, the tone is more severe than in…
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…
Youth Programs for Environmental and Conservation Awareness
Are you interested in a career focused on the environment, wildlife conservation and awareness of your country's natural heritage? A…
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…
Right Whale Mortalities 2017: Overview
In 2017, 18 right whale carcasses have been found in the North Atlantic near the Canadian and US coasts. For…
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…
Gifts that keep on giving!
By Stéphanie Tremblay The holiday season is fast approaching! With it comes the conundrum of brainstorming for gift ideas. That…
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…
#SMM2017 Day 5: Cry of the Heart
That's it, the marathon of presentations is over! The 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, held in…
#SMM2017 Day 4: Piggybacking on Others’ Ideas
The onslaught continues: lectures, flash presentations, videos, plenaries, posters and discussions with colleagues hailing from every continent. A biennial is…
#SMM2017 Day 3: Intriguing New Technologies
Day 3 of the 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Some of the faces amongst the thousands…
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…
#SMM2017 Day 2: New Technologies, Coloured Ropes and Information-packed Brains
Fifteen-minute presentations, four-minute flash communications and five-minute science videos: a total of 141 presentations were delivered at Scotiabank Centre in…
#SMM2017 Day 1: Focus on Conservation
Day 1 of the 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Halifax. Already, our heads are filled…
Whales Online at the 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals
From October 22-27, the Whales Online team will be covering the 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals…
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…
Raising Funds to Support Belugas and Killer Whales
From coast to coast, Simons is supporting research on St. Lawrence belugas and Pacific killer whales by symbolically adopting Artsea…
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…
Let’s Talk Whales! Online consultation on endangered whales
With Let’s Talk Whales, the Government of Canada is launching a comprehensive online public consultation on protective measures to implement…
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…
Good navigation practices for Beluga conservation
In this beluga calving season, Fisheries and Oceans Canada's "Show you care, keep your distance!" awareness campaign reminds us of…
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…
Mark your calendar: Talk “Where everything revolved around whales”
An invitation to travel through "Whale Civilization" The kick-off for summer talks has finally arrived! For the first gathering of…
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…
Making of Film Of Whales, the Moon and Men Designated Historic Event
The making of the film Of Whales, the Moon and Men (1962) by Pierre Perrault, Michel Brault and Marcel Carrière…
Supporting Research, one Raspberry Blanche at a Time
Is it possible to drink beer and support St. Lawrence beluga research at the same time? Yes, thanks to Les…
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…
St. Lawrence Week: Humpback Whale
As part of St. Lawrence Week, Whales Online offers a glimpse of species that have a special meaning for each…
St. Lawrence Week: A Tribute to the Whales
During the St. Lawrence Week, from June 3 to June 11 2017, Whales Online features every day a different whale…
St. Lawrence Week: Blue Whale
As part of St. Lawrence Week, Whales Online offers a glimpse of species that have a special meaning for each…
St. Lawrence Week: North Atlantic Right Whale
As part of St. Lawrence Week, Whales Online offers a glimpse of species that have a special meaning for each…
St. Lawrence Week: Minke Whale
As part of St. Lawrence Week, Whales Online offers a glimpse of species that have a special meaning for…
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…
Earth Day 2017: Three Gestures for the Whales
For the occasion of Earth Day (April 22), Whales Online proposes three simple actions to help preserve the ecosystems that…
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…
Call of the Baby Beluga aired on National Geographic
Interview with Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm, director and producer National Geographic's prestigious TV channel Nat Geo Wild will broadcast…
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…
Intimidating Predators in a Less Icy Arctic
Marine mammal populations are accustomed to spending their summers in certain predator-free parts of the Arctic to give birth to,…
Giant of Giants Honoured at Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum
On March 11, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto will launch its new exhibition dedicated to the largest animal the…
Counting whales from space
Can whales be counted using photos taken from outer space? Two researchers from Perth, Australia, are attempting to conduct a…
Whale Week 2017: February 13-17
Organized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the event aims to raise public awareness about whales and to…
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…
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…
Fernand-Seguin Scholarship 2017: the Next Generation of Science Journalism
Get out your pens, cameras and computers! The Fernand-Seguin 2017 Scholarship is underway! Since 1981, this competition has represented an…
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…
Drawing Contest Mon fleuve et moi, 2016-2017 Edition
Through their drawings, Quebec students aged 6 through 20 are invited to depict their dream activity related to the St.…
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…
Daniel Pauly, Radio-Canada’s 2016 Scientist of the Year, will be featured on the program Les années lumière
His involvement "for having revealed the true scale of overfishing in the planet's oceans" has led him to become the…
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…
Trans Mountain and Killer Whales: Underestimated Impacts?
On November 29, the Trudeau government gave the go-ahead for the proposed expansion of the Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline…
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…
Humpbacks in 3D at the Montréal Science Centre
Dive into the splendid waters of Alaska, Hawaii and the Kingdom of Tonga for an immersive experience in the heart…
Two Belugas Die at the Vancouver Aquarium… Now What?
Last week, Aurora, a female beluga who spent the last 26 years of her life at the Vancouver Aquarium, died…
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…
Narwhals Use Sound… Like a Flashlight!
The narwhal, sometimes called the unicorn of the sea, is not an imaginary creature. It is a real animal, but…
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…
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…
“No Maritime Strategy without a Beluga Strategy” Warn Nature Québec and CPAWS Quebec
At a press conference on November 1, 2016, Nature Québec and CPAWS Quebec call for a beluga strategy in response…
A Whale’s History Written in its Baleen
Biologists are still learning to read the life history of individual whales by studying their baleen. Just like the growth…
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,…
October 6 and 7, 2016 – AquaHacking Summit: United for the St. Lawrence
For two days – Thursday, October 6 and Friday, October 7, 2016 – the St. Lawrence River will be the…
19 to 25 September 2016: Science Literacy Week
Science Literacy Week highlights Canada’s outstanding scientists and science communicators from coast-to-coast. The goals are to showcase the excellence and…
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…
Collision off Les Bergeronnes: Lessons to be Learned?
On Monday, August 29, a Zodiac captain working for Croisières Essipit and a passenger were thrown overboard from their tour…
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…
July 29-31: Beluga watching awareness campaign
For the second consecutive year, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada are encouraging recreational boaters to adopt good practices…
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…
Flame Retardants in St. Lawrence Whales
[caption id="attachment_20043" align="alignright" width="250"] L'équipe du Mériscope © Mériscope[/caption] The Mériscope team is excited. This is the beginning of the…
Raspberry White Beer on Sale Now, For the Belugas!
Launched this spring by Les Bières Béluga Ltée, last week a new raspberry-flavoured white beer hit the shelves of numerous…
Drones and Whales
Recently, whale-watching guides and companies have expressed concerns about drones flying near killer whales off the west coasts of Canada…
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…
Study Reveals Exceptional Efficiency of a Small Hunter
The harbour porpoise feeds day and night, aiming to capture up to 550 small fish per hour, with a success…
Energy East Pipeline: GREMM Brief Made Public
Although TransCanada abandoned its oil terminal project in Cacouna in April 2015, whales of the St. Lawrence are still threatened…
June 4 through 12, 2016: Week of the St. Lawrence
Stratégies Saint-Laurent, the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation and 33 other organizations invite Quebec citizens to celebrate the river during the…
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,…
25 May 2016: Launch of a beer for St. Lawrence marine mammals
This Wednesday 25 May, from 4 to 7 pm, join us at the Broue Pub Brouhaha Ahuntsic for the launch of the…
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),…
Baleen Whale Migration Revisited
According to literature, most Mysticeti whales – also known as baleen whales – undertake seasonal migrations between high and low…
Seismic Surveys Could Drive Right Whale to Extinction
In a letter to President Obama on April 14, 2016, twenty-seven scientists present their concerns about the impacts of seismic…
When Sharing a Meal Keeps a Family Together
Although a killer whale can easily swallow a whole salmon, it prefers to tear it into pieces to share with…
Could Climate Change Benefit Some Cetaceans?
According to an article published on April 5, 2016 in National Geographic, some whales, especially humpback and bowhead whales, could…
New Investments in the St. Lawrence: Opportunity to Reconcile Conservation and Development?
New investments recently announced by the Canadian and Quebec governments in port areas and the marine ecosystem of the St.…
Energy East Project: Another Threat to the Whales of the St. Lawrence
The testimony of Émilien Pelletier before Quebec's environmental assessment agency (BAPE) last week cast a dark cloud over the whales…
Blue Whales of Antarctica: Three Populations of Giants
The Antarctic blue whale, which is endangered, falls into three genetically distinct populations. This was the conclusion of a recent…
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…
Toxins Detected in Alaska Marine Mammals
Toxins produced by certain algae are present in Alaska's food chain in concentrations high enough to be detected in many…
Animo Meets Up with St. Lawrence Belugas
On February 27, the team from Explora's Animo series takes you on board the Bleuvet to discover, together with the…
Accumulation of Heavy Metals in a Group of Stranded Long-finned Pilot Whales in Scotland
A study by researchers at the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, recently demonstrated…
24 St.Lawrence belugas have been adopted!
In late 2014, the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) and its colleagues from the St. Lawrence Beluga…
North American Right Whale on Semaine verte Now Online
On February 13, Radio-Canada's Semaine verte presented a chronicle of the fragile North Atlantic right whale, victim of intensive hunting that…
St. Lawrence Belugas Declining
DOSSIER UPDATED FEBRUARY 8, 2016 – In 2015, of the 14 carcasses found, four have been confirmed as newborns and…
Preserving Quiet 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…
Over Twenty Whales Die in North Sea in One Month
Since mid-January, 25 sperm whales have been found beached on the British, Dutch and German coasts. The reasons for these…
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…
Call of the Baby Beluga, The nature of things (CBC), January 28, 2016
A young beluga is stranded on the shores of the St. Lawrence... and it's alive! A team of scientists decides…
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…
Boat Speed Noise Responsible for Disturbance of Killer Whales
The speed of boats travelling in the vicinity of killer whales is believed to be the greatest factor affecting ambient…
Film In the Heart of the Sea Hits Theatres December 11
For centuries, whales have sparked the imagination. This Friday, December 11, the film In the Heart of the Sea will…
Entangled Right Whale: an Extra Weight to Tow
Over 75% of North Atlantic right whales show injuries or scars caused by fishing gear. A study conducted by the…
December 13-18, 2015: 21st Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals
This international gathering, organized by the Society for Marine Mammalogy, rallies researchers, students and professionals from around the globe to…
Sperm Whales Robbing Fishermen of Their Catch
Sablefish fishermen in the Gulf of Alaska face a major competitor to their operations: male sperm whales. The latter come…
What do Belugas Teach Us about the St. Lawrence and about Ourselves? (8/8)
Beluga stories: this is the final episode of the transcript of the training lecture given by Robert Michaud at the…
Southern Right Whales Targeted by Gulls
The waters around Argentina's Valdes Peninsula are thebreeding and calving grounds for southern right whales (Eubalaena australis). These whales have…
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…
Biography of Frédéric Back
Author Hélène Jasmin recently compiled this biography (in French) about the famous filmmaker who passed away in 2013 and illustrious…
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…
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…
What do Belugas Teach Us about the St. Lawrence and about Ourselves? (7/8)
Beluga stories: this is the seventh episode of the transcript of the training lecture given by Robert Michaud at the…
Right Whale Festival, November 21, 2015
Held in Jacksonville, Florida, this festive rendez-vous celebrates the impending return of North Atlantic right whales to the coastal waters…
New Information on Extremely Rare Omura’s Whales
Omura's whale (Balaenoptera omurai), formerly considered to be a "pygmy form" of the Bryde's whale, was recognized as a full…
What do Belugas Teach Us about the St. Lawrence and about Ourselves? (6/8)
Beluga stories: this is the sixth episode of the transcript of the training lecture given by Robert Michaud at the…
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…
“Moby Dick” at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde beginning September 22, 2015
SPECTACULAR CHASE IN STORMY SEAS Dominic Champagne revolutionized the staging of great mythical tales with The Odyssey. Now he is…
What do Belugas Teach Us about the St. Lawrence and about Ourselves? (5/8)
Beluga stories: this is the fifth episode of the transcript of the training lecture given by Robert Michaud at the…
What are the causes of mortality of the whales being found on the coasts of Alaska and British Columbia in recent months?
Over thirty whales have been found dead off the coasts of Alaska and British Columbia in the past few months.…
October 13-15, 2015: Symposium on Impact of Human Disturbance on Arctic Marine Mammals
From October 13 to 15, 2015, NAMMCO (The North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission) is organizing a symposium on the effects…
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…
Cap sur les baleines, Episode 4: Olivia Capeillere
Olivia Capeillere crossed the Atlantic to follow her passion for the titans that inhabit the St. Lawrence. As a naturalist…
Pregnancy Tests for Belugas
Update – September 30, 2015 The final day of the program was September 25. Weather conditions were favourable, which allowed…
What do Belugas Teach Us about the St. Lawrence and about Ourselves? (4/8)
Beluga stories: this is the fourth episode of the transcript of the training lecture given by Robert Michaud at the…
The Fourth Season of the Large Rorqual Telemetric Monitoring Project in the Marine Park is Underway
September 23: What about their Prey?
DOSSIER UPDATED September 23: What do rorquals prey on? The fourth season of the large rorqual monitoring project ended in…
Beaked Whale Ancestors Hunted Mostly Near the Surface
The discovery of a fossil of a beaked whale (Messapicetus gragarius) dating back 9 million years reveals that this animal…
What do Belugas Teach Us about the St. Lawrence and about Ourselves? (3/8)
Beluga stories: this is the third episode of the transcript of the training lecture given by Robert Michaud at the…
The Leap Manifesto
The authors of the The Leap Manifesto chose a whale to illustrate their hopes and concerns for a more just…
Cap sur les baleines, Episode 3: Simon Gauthier
Professional storyteller Simon Gauthier pounds the pavement, his backpack chock full of tales, baleinophone in hand. The pioneer of whale…
New Version of Large Rorqual Catalogue Released!
The Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) and Parks Canada, along with their financial partners Fondation de…
Cap sur les baleines, Episode 2: Marie Guilpin
Marie Guilpin crossed the Atlantic to study the whales of the St. Lawrence. As a Ph.D. student in oceanography in…
Increasingly Tuned 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…
Cap sur les baleines, Episode 1: Hugues Durocher
Hugues Durocher was literally born on the river. The son of a lighthouse keeper, his life has evolved with the…
What Conclusions Can be Drawn from the North Atlantic Right Whale Observations and Mortalities during the 2015 season?
A response from Véronique Lesage, Fisheries and Oceans Canada First, a little bit of background... North Atlantic right whales were…
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…
Sperm Whale on Display at Musée de la Mer, Magdalen Islands
Its 15 m long skeleton is the star of an exhibit entitled "Souffleur à grosse tête, qui es-tu?" (loosely translated, "Big-headed…
The F.G. Creed Crew is Back in the Estuary in Search of Whales’ Prey
Fisheries and Oceans Canada's ship F.G. Creed is in the Estuary this week for its eighth annual acoustic survey aimed…
What do Belugas Teach Us about the St. Lawrence and about Ourselves? (2/8)
Beluga stories: this is the second episode of the transcript of the training lecture given by Robert Michaud at the…
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…
New Cacouna Port Project in the Beluga Nursery: Concerns and Astonishment
While the oil port project was abandoned six months ago due to the fact that the beluga population was assessed…
What do Belugas Teach Us about the St. Lawrence and about Ourselves? (1/8)
Beluga Stories: a presentation by Robert Michaud at the CIMM on June 22, 2015, presented here in eight episodes to…
Calculations that Could Help Save Whales Entangled in Fishing Gear
According to a recent study, researchers examined whale skeletons and carcasses of all sizes to obtain measurements of their body…
“The Most Solitary of Whales”: Mysterious No. 52 Raises Questions, Inspires, Sparks New Scientific Commentary
This whale frequents the North Pacific and emits a range of unusual frequencies which are believed to isolate it from…
Collision between Inflatable Boat and Whale in Mexico: One Canadian Tourist Dead and Two Persons Injured
The accident, which occurred in an area known to be frequented by a large number of tourist boats and by…
On the Calendar: MICS Organizes Blue Whale Fundraiser Event
The Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) will organize the first edition of the Grand Blue fundraiser on March 16, 2015…