A humpback whale, probably lost, has been living in Montreal since Saturday, a rare scene since the Quebec metropolis is located in fresh water and several hundred kilometers from the natural habitat of the marine mammal.
The whale, probably the same as that observed a few days ago near Quebec City, sailed up the St. Lawrence River before arriving Saturday morning in Montreal, Marie-Ève Muller, a carrier, told AFP. speech from the Quebec marine mammal emergency network (RQUMM). The cetacean, whose age is estimated between two and three years, was seen Sunday late afternoon near the Jacques-Cartier bridge.
In memory of the RQUMM, "this is the first time that a humpback whale has been observed in Montreal", located more than 400 kilometers west of the natural habitat of the marine mammal in the maritime estuary and the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, she said. A "combination of factors" may explain why the whale has drifted so far, she said. Given her young age, she probably lost her way by hunting or making "navigation errors" while exploring her territory. "Sometimes we come across whales or juvenile seals in territories that are not their usual territories," explained Marie-Ève Muller. “It is possible that the whale followed prey and that it continued on its way. "
"At the moment, the whale is in good health"
An RQUMM intervention team was deployed to document the state of health of the whale, escorted remotely by zodiacs from agents of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in order to avoid stress and prevent a collision with other ships, she said.
It is possible that the whale can stay "several months" near Montreal, she added, adding that due to the presence of locks and rapids, "she should not be able to go further The river to the west. However, an intervention to redirect the whale - an operation that can be dangerous for the animal - is not planned for the moment since a whale can "stay in fresh water" in the short term, did she says.
“At the moment, the whale is healthy, it eats freely. The best option is to let nature take its course, "and hope that the animal decides alone to take" the way back to his own, "she added. According to the RQUMM, a humpback whale can measure between 13 and 17 meters and weigh up to 40 tonnes as an adult.
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