A Day in the Field with the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network

4 a.m. – Departure from Tadoussac

It’s still dark outside, but we’re already on our way to retrieve the stranded harbour porpoise.We need to arrive at our destination before high tide, otherwise there’s a risk the carcass might get washed away. We try to remain optimistic as the sun slowly begins to rise: Let’s hope the carcass is still there when we arrive!

Arrivée au véhicule, la carcasse est placée dans un sac spécialement conçu pour sa conservation. C’est ensuite le moment de partir pour la deuxième mission de la journée : récupérer une carcasse de phoque commun échouée à Pointe-Lebel.

10 a.m. – Arrival at Pointe-Lebel

The carcass of the harbour seal pup at Pointe-Lebel is not hard to find. The individual – attached with a rope to a chunk of wood by a volunteer so that it wouldn’t get washed back into the water – is still in very good condition. We therefore easily recover the carcass and place this one in a bag as well.

12 noon – Where is the second seal?

The last seal carcass is the most difficult one to find. After having unsuccessfully combed the beach in Longue-Rive for quite some time, we finally cross paths with an individual who guides us to the carcass. However, the advanced state of decomposition of the carcass does not lend itself to sample taking.We therefore decide to leave the animal where it is. A red tag is attached to its tail to indicate that the carcass has already been handled by the QMMERN. This will prevent the same carcass from being counted twice, even if it is carried away by the currents and found again at another location. Nature will take care of the rest.

At the end of the day, our team returns to Tadoussac with two carcasses on board. The animals are stored in freezers and will later be transported to the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Saint-Hyacinthe, where they will undergo necropsies.