A 2024 Season Marked by Diversity
On both sides of the St. Lawrence, cetaceans and pinnipeds made the telephone lines of the Marine Mammal Emergency Centre ring more than 800 times in 2024!
With 2025 already well underway, why not take a moment to look back at the most significant cases handled by the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) over the past year? After all, it is by taking stock of past incidents that we prepare ourselves to respond to future cases!
Out-of-habitat marine mammals
From Saguenay to Ottawa, pinnipeds and cetaceans caught QMMERN’s attention last year. In July, images were sent to QMMERN of a young harbour seal swimming in proximity to the Carillon dam near Saint-André-d’Argenteuil, and later in front of the Canadian Parliament. The individual was ultimately found dead a few days after that. In Saguenay, the presence of another harbour seal near human infrastructure also kept the QMMERN team busy for nearly two months. The animal was in an area rarely frequented by seals and, unfortunately, was the victim of harassment and disturbance. Though the presence of seals in fresh water is not unusual, we must nevertheless keep our distance from these marine mammals at the risk of stressing them and disrupting their essential activities.
On August 25, it was a minke whale in La Baie (page in French) that had people talking: Its prolonged presence in the upper Saguenay River is difficult to explain, but might have been related to a search for prey or inexperience. Since the water is brackish (a mix of fresh and salt water) at this location, the animal was most likely not in danger. Rather, it was disturbance caused by maritime traffic that represented the greatest risk for this cetacean. The individual was last seen in early September.
Not-so-large rorquals
The humpback whale Tic Tac Toe made headlines in early June 2024, but not for the usual reasons: images transmitted to QMMERN showed a severely emaciated animal. A few weeks later, in August, it was the humpback Chewbacca that was spotted in suboptimal condition. For both these individuals, QMMERN set up a monitoring plan to assess the animals’ condition in collaboration with GREMM’s research staff and teams from the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.
When they return to their spring feeding grounds, large rorquals are often thin. However, the states of health of Tic Tac Toe and Chewbacca were particularly unusual. We still do not know what led these two humpbacks to this critical state. Tic Tac Toe has not been seen since June 5, 2024, while Chewbacca was most recently sighted on August 30, 2024. Will we see them again in the St. Lawrence this summer? The Whales Online team will be on the front lines to share their news with you.
Diverse incidents and carcasses
Six beluga carcasses were recovered for necropsies by QMMERN teams in 2024, including five in May alone! During each field intervention, the teams encountered a different set of challenges: tides, weather, difficult-to-access sites, etc.
During the high season, seven dead or live stranded pilot whales were reported to QMMERN, which recovered two of these individuals.
Lastly, this eventful season ended in October with the report of a beached northern bottlenose whale on Île d’Orléans. Despite the significant challenge that this case represented, thanks to the coordination and exceptional collaboration of the various teams, the carcass was recovered the day after it was reported and transported to an appropriate landfill! On site, numerous samples were taken from the animal with the help of veterinarians to ascertain the causes of its death and determine which population it belonged to.
A total of 21 cetaceans and 31 pinnipeds were recovered for necropsy. Additionally, 20 cetaceans and 29 pinnipeds were sampled in the field.
Dealing with spills
March 4, 2024.
A drifting container ship off the coast of Les Bergeronnes requires QMMERN’s contribution for a tricky intervention. With a potential risk of spillage if the vessel were to hit bottom, everyone is on high alert. QMMERN’s role in this incident is to document the potential risks to marine mammals in the targeted area. Observations of marine mammals in the area are forwarded to those responsible for managing the incident so that they can prepare to intervene if necessary.
Fortunately, the ship is ultimately towed a few days later to Quebec City, but QMMERN remains vigilant and ready to act should a similar event occur again.
Great white sharks vs. grey seals
Once again this year, QMMERN recorded a multitude of suspected cases (61!) of great white shark predation on grey seals. It is assumed that the reported marks are attributable to predation, though a number of analyses remain to be completed to establish their origin with certainty.
Once again this year, QMMERN recorded a multitude of suspected cases (61!) of great white shark predation on grey seals. It is assumed that the reported marks are attributable to predation, though a number of analyses remain to be completed to establish their origin with certainty.
With this in mind, several seal carcasses were recovered and sampled by QMMERN’s satellite and mobile teams in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The study of these carcasses will also help shed light on the interactions between seals and sharks. For several years now, QMMERN has been collaborating with DFO to collect data on the seals of the St. Lawrence.
Which just goes to show that by pooling our resources, we can go further!
Entangled right whale
Six cases of entangled North Atlantic right whales were reported to QMMERN this year, one of which mobilized the organization’s team in early July 2024. It was War’s 2023 calf (#1812), a female right whale that is well known to the scientific community.
Entangled since at least June 22, the calf was heading toward the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. QMMERN was on the front lines to collect sighting reports of the individual and communicate the information to the Marine Park community. On July 10, teams from the Campobello Whale Rescue Team and DFO attempted to disentangle the animal off the coast of Rimouski.
The efforts were a success and the whale was freed from its ropes! DFO tagged the animal to track its movements and ensure that it returned to the Gulf.
Important reminder
Should you see a whale or a seal outside its normal range, promptly contact Marine Mammal Emergencies at 1-877-722-5346. A QMMERN member can then give you instructions and put the necessary measures into place.
Odélie Brouillette
Odélie Brouillette joined the GREMM team as a writer and naturalist in 2022, and has been back since winter 2023 as a project manager in science popularization. With a background in biology, she loves learning and sharing with others what's most important to her. She has always been fascinated by marine environments and whales, and hopes to contribute to their protection through awareness-raising and popularization.
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