{"id":49545,"date":"2018-12-06T14:13:27","date_gmt":"2018-12-06T14:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baleinesed.wpengine.com\/?p=49545"},"modified":"2020-03-06T14:14:51","modified_gmt":"2020-03-06T14:14:51","slug":"whales-and-seals-amid-the-ice-floes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baleinesendirect.org\/en\/whales-and-seals-amid-the-ice-floes\/","title":{"rendered":"Whales and Seals Amid the Ice Floes"},"content":{"rendered":"

“They’re breaching!” exclaims an innkeeper from Forillon<\/strong>, in the Gasp\u00e9 Peninsula. It’s December 3 and the week is off to a good start for him: through his window, he observes three humpbacks in Gasp\u00e9 Bay<\/strong>. They thrust their bodies into the air and come down with a huge splash. In whale jargon, these jumps are called “breaches” and are believed to be used to hunt, communicate, play or gather before undertaking the long southward migration. Over the next few weeks, these humpbacks will travel 5,500 km to the Caribbean, where they will spend the winter.<\/p>\n

Also in Les Escoumins<\/strong>, opposite Anse aux Basques and Quai des Pilotes, a sizable humpback is observed. “Its colour pattern is similar to that of Siam,” remarks the observer. For about thirty minutes, the humpback whale blows and dives before leaving our observer’s field of view as it makes its way toward Les Bergeronnes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

One seal is resting on a floating block of ice. It is surprising to see it here, off the coast of the village of Petite-Rivi\u00e8re-Saint-Fran\u00e7ois<\/strong> in the Charlevoix region. But seals sometimes explore areas far beyond their usual range. Single bearded seals have been observed in the Saint-Maurice River near Trois-Rivi\u00e8res. In Pointe-aux-Trembles, two kayakers were astonished to see a seal showing its belly. What are these solitary seals doing? Are they lost or are they exploring new territories? Hard to say. In any case, it is fascinating to observe them.<\/p>\n