Beluga whale takes a vacation in Bay of Fundy

It seems we have an unexpected visitor to the Bay of Fundy: a 2-year old Beluga whale! Bay of Fundy is home to many species of whales including Right whales, finbacks, humpbacks, minkes, seis, but not Belugas. It's believed that this beluga somehow separated from its family pod, perhaps living in the St Lawrence seaway (well north of the Bay of Fundy) or even the Arctic. Belugas are occasionally spotted at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy, down by Brier Island, Grand Manan Island, etc. where the rest of our whales congregate, but never off the coast of Cape Chignecto Provincial Park where this little fellow has been hanging out.

The locals have named him "Q" (Jian Ghomeshi at CBC's radio program "Q" would be proud!) and have been enjoying his antics. Still, whale researchers caution that too much human contact would not be good and that there's a reason that Belugas don't normally visit the Bay of Fundy: conditions here, though perfect for our other whales, are not ideal for Belugas. Whale researchers are assessing the situation with hopes that Q will tire of his summer vacation and head back home to his family.