Rorqual commun Balaenoptera physalus

The second largest animal on the planet. In the summertime they can be found in several feeding areas in the North Atlantic. In the St. Lawrence Estuary, several dozen individuals return each summer, helping to sustain a major whale watching industry.

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Can you imagine 1000 tonnes of whales parading by before your eyes? It is possible to witness this very scene just off Tadoussac in the summertime. Groups of as many as 12, and on occasion upwards of 20, of these large, slim rorqual whales break the surface, sometimes in tight formation, to perform a veritable synchronized ballet. Soon after this gripping appearance they turn, tracing a half-circle at the surface, a bit like an enchanted carrousel where, one after another, they dive for a few seconds and then resurface to take another breath of air. The merry-go-round ends after several minutes when, again in procession, they arch their backs before "sounding" and finally, disappear.

Groups form and separate several times over the course of a day. These group dynamics could be related to hunting strategies. Capelin and other small, rapid schooling fish being the main food source of fin whales, it is possible that by attacking schools in a group, fin whales manage to manoeuvre or encircle fish that would otherwise get away. Similar strategies observed with the humpback whales of Alaska have been described as a well-orchestrated form of co-operation. In the case of fin whales, which often feed at great depths, it is difficult to verify the existence of these machinations. Are the various members of a group co-operating or competing with each other?

Since 1984, we have identified several dozen fin whales in the Tadoussac area. A number of them, like Grand Galop, Hublot and U2 are "regulars" who come back every summer. For the moment, the only two animals from the Tadoussac area that were also observed in the Gulf during the summer are Éclair and Sweet Lips. Our colleagues from the Mingan Island Cetacean Study have identified over 300 fin whales since the early 1980s. Mutual observations suggest that herds may separate during summer. They could even be a type of pod!

Martine Bérubé, a researcher with the Cetacean Genetic Group, is using new techniques of molecular biologyto study the social organization of fin whales. It is possible to determine gender and verify family ties between members of a herd by analyzing a few skin cells taken from their backs. Results from this study will help us to better understand the St. Lawrence population and its relationship to other herds observed in the summer in the Northwest Atlantic from Long Island all the way up to Iceland.

On a smaller scale, these techniques will allow us to study the composition of groups observed off Tadoussac. What are the ties between Grand Galop, Hublot and Le Bossu, whales who come back to the Estuary every summer and are often seen swimming together?