A video posted to social media shows the seal sunbathing on a floating dock in Laval, close to where the Mille Îles River joins the St. Lawrence River.
“It’s extremely rare. For the Quebec Mammal Emergency Network it’s a first,” said Marie-Ève Muller, a spokesperson for GREMM. “We’ve had minke whales before, belugas but for such large whale like a humpback whale, it’s a first.”
Because of the increased travel distance, only families with larger boats were able to participate in the hunt and bring back enough to make the trip cost effective. With a heavier load in the boat, one family ran out of gas trying to get home and had to be rescued.
The rehabilitation center in Seward doesn’t usually get bearded seals, which live much farther north.
Observations From Members 