St. Lawrence Beluga Project 40 years with belugas

Accessible and well-preserved beluga carcasses that have been recovered under the mortality surveillance program are sent to the pathology lab at Université de Montréal’s veterinary school, where they are examined to determine the cause of death. By comparing the genetic profiles of dead belugas with those of the individuals featured in the family album, researchers study the links between habitat use and causes of mortality. This health and pathology program, which has existed for over 40 years, is the longest in the world for a marine mammal species.

Analyzing the contaminants found in beluga carcasses or biopsy samples allows scientists to monitor the long-term health of their ecosystem. This program has enabled researchers to detect significant declines of several persistent organic pollutants that were banned in the 1970s. It has also allowed evidence to be gathered on new classes of industrial chemicals that have been introduced in the past few decades. New approaches in genomics, metabolomics and lipidomics make it possible to explore the links between health and contaminant exposure.

3MTSim is a marine traffic and marine mammal simulator for the St. Lawrence Estuary and the Saguenay River. It draws on a range of scientific expertise, including biology, underwater acoustics, artificial intelligence, economics, and environmental governance. The simulator has been “fed” with virtually all of the knowledge and data collected by GREMM. It is a powerful tool for collaboration and decision-making support to help mitigate the impacts of shipping on whales in the St. Lawrence. It has already contributed to several conservation initiatives, including slowdown zones for ships transiting the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.