St. Lawrence Estuary beluga whale
Highlights
The decline of belugas in the St. Lawrence Estuary, which began around 2000, has slowed. Recent advances in survey methods have made it possible to better estimate the population, which was between 1,530 and 2,180 individuals in 2022. However, high mortality among newborns, pregnant females, and more recently possibly juveniles, is limiting recruitment. Recent changes in body condition, summer distribution, and diet indicate the likely influence of environmental factors, the relative importance of which remains uncertain.