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There
are many misconceptions about cetaceans (whales, dolphins and
porpoises), the most common of which is the idea that cetaceans
are fish. They're not - they are mammals, like you and me. Millions
of years ago, they lived on land; their bodies were covered
in hair, they had external ears, they walked on four legs, they
bore live young.
Whales
use sound in the same way as bats - they emit a sound, which
then bounces off an object and returns to them. From this, whales
can discern the size, shape, surface characteristics and movement
of the object, as well as how far away it is. This is called
sonar, or echolocation, and with it cetaceans can search for,
chase and catch fast-swimming prey in total darkness. It is
so advanced that most whales can discern between prey and non-prey
(such as humans or boats).
Whales also use sound to communicate, whether it be groans,
moans, whistles, clicks or the complex 'singing' of the Humpback
Whale that is becoming so popular on wildlife documentaries
and relaxation tapes. Sixteen
different species of whales can be found in the water of the
coast of the Cabot Trail near Pleasant Bay. Below are the four
of the most common whales. You will see one of them on every
tour. We have had days where all four have been sighted on one
trip. We go where the whales are to watch them, but respect
their feeding grounds and hope that they become curious about
us. More often than not, the whales swim close enough to get
great pictures or video.
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| Long-Finned
Pilot Whale |
| Length:
4 to 5 m, up to 8 m |
| Weight:
2 to 3.5 t |
| Longevity:
25 to 50 years |
| Dive
time: 4 to 10 min |
| Sociability:
Highly gregarious |
| Worldwide
population: Unknown, but abundant |
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The long-finned pilot is jet black or dark grey with a grey
or white diagonal stripe behind each eye and a big round
forehead (melon). They are sometimes known as the pothead
whale because the shape of their head reminded early whalers
of black cooking pots! They are very social, family animals
and may travel in groups of up to 100 with one animal acting
as leader. Long-finned pilot whales often strand themselves
on beaches - because they have strong family bonds, when
one animal strands the rest of the pod tend to follow. They
are very active and can often be seen lobtailing and spyhopping.
The younger ones also breach but this is rare in adults.
Pilot whales generally takes several breaths before diving
for a few minutes. Feeding dives, when they are looking
for squid or fish, may last for 10 minutes or more. They
are capable of diving to depths of 600m but most dives are
30 - 60m.
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| Minke
Whale |
| Length:
6 to 9 m, up to 10 m |
| Weight:
6 to 8 t, up to 10 t |
| Longevity:
Perhaps 50 years |
| Dive
time: 2 to 10 min, up to 20 min |
| Sociability:
Solitary, sometimes in pairs or groups |
| Worldwide
population: Perhaps 60 000 in the North Atlantic
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| The
smallest of the rorquals. When they hunt fish close to the
coast, it is possible to see their pinkish bellies at the
surface. The minke whale is coastal. It can be seen from
early spring to late fall. Of the great whales, the minke
whale is one of the smallest. However, on a human scale,
it is still quite impressive weighing eight tonnes and measuring
eight metres long. Its acrobatics and its curiosity can
turn a simple sighting into a memorable encounter. Although
this species is relatively abundant, very little work has
been done to study its behaviour. Due to its speed, and
especially its unpredictable movements, a lot of patience
is required to photo-identify a minke whale.
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| Humpback
Whale |
| Length:
11 to 13 m, up to 16 m |
| Weight:
25 to 30 t, up to 35 t |
| Longevity:
30 to 50 years |
| Dive
time: 8 to 15 min, up to 30 min |
| Sociability:
Solitary, often in pairs of groups |
| Worldwide
population: Possibly 20 000 worldwide |
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singer and an acrobat, its tail emerges from the water when
it dives. This is the best known of the cetaceans. Over
7500 humpback whales swim thousands of kilometres every
year between their mating grounds in the Caribbean and their
feeding grounds in the North Atlantic. The humpback whale
is now the best known of all the large whales. Over the
last few years our knowledge of this still precarious species
has progressed rapidly. This is partly because individuals
are so easy to identify. As well, the spectacular nature
of this species has attracted the attention of numerous
scientists and fans alike.
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| Fin
Whale |
| Length:
18 to 21 m, up to 27 m |
| Weight:
40 to 50 t |
| Longevity:
Probably comparable to ours |
| Dive
time: 5 to 15 min, up to 25 min |
| Sociability:
Solitary, in pairs or in groups |
| Worldwide
population: Probably around 100 000 |
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The
second largest animal on the planet. In the summertime they
can be found in several feeding areas. Can you imagine 1000
tonnes of whales parading by before your eyes? It is possible
to witness this very scene just off Pleasant Bay in the
summertime. Groups of as many as 12 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.
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Coast line of the Cabot Trail is also spectacular.
The views from sea are unlike any other view point
on your vacation. So come along on the adventure of
a life time with Cabot Trail Whale Watching |
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