A marine mammal research group is reporting that the two minke whales spotted near Montreal last week haven’t been seen for more than 48 hours.
Robert Michaud of the group Réseau québecois d’urgences pour les mammifères marins said Tuesday one of the whales was last observed on Sunday morning about 25 kilometres downstream from Montreal’s Old Port.
The first minke whale was initially spotted on May 8 and was later joined by a second whale on May 11, both straying about 450 kilometres upstream of their usual range.
Michaud says a team of volunteers is still deployed to look out for the whales, hoping the animals will head back downstream to Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, which is home to hundreds of marine species.
He said he would be surprised to find the whales still alive in a week if they remained in the Montreal area of the St. Lawrence River, as its fresh water is too hostile for minke whales.
Michaud said one of the whales has a curved spine that is very recognizable.