The origin of the St. Lawrence beluga merges with the origin of the river. At the time of the Basque fishermen and of Jacques Cartier, belugas numbered in the thousands. Today, there are but 600 to 1200 left.

The belugas entered our past as an exploitable resource. From the beginnings of the French colony to the middle of this century they were hunted by the hundreds. Now they are dying of diseases resulting from heavy loads of contaminants. These same chemicals also likely affect their reproductive potential.

Belugas may end their story in the St. Lawrence as victims of pollution. It is not too late to act. Our own survival may be at stake if we do not rehabilitate the system that supports belugas.

The survival of the St. Lawrence beluga is not simply linked to the decontamination of the river, but also requires that we understand its needs. In 1996, two scientists from the Institute participated in the preparation of the first ever Recovery Plan for a marine mammal species in Canada. The Recovery Plan, largely based on findings from our research, has recognized the urgency of reducing the toxic contamination of the St. Lawrence system and the need to increase our knowledge about the life and death of the belugas.

Recent efforts by industry and government agencies have already yielded some encouraging results in reducing the input of contaminants into the St. Lawrence system. Through its research and education programmes, the Institute will continue to bring the plight of the St Lawrence beluga into the public eye. It is hoped that by keeping the beluga story alive we will keep the beluga alive.

The Institute endeavours to maintain public awareness of the difficulties faced by the St. Lawrence beluga population through its various research and education programs. We hope to ensure the survival of this species in the St. Lawrence by keeping its story alive.

Belugas are essentially Arctic animals. The belugas of the St. Lawrence, living at the southernmost limit of the species, are now believed to be isolated from their northern neighbours.

Belugas are highly gregarious animals. We spend hundreds of hours every summer observing these whales. We have learned to recognize individuals. With this family album, and recent genetic analysis techniques, we are now learning about their social life, their family affairs.