Marine Mammals

The most important of the marine mammals, both because of its numbers and its importance, is the seal. Four different species of seal can be found around the Îles de la Madeleine. There was a time when walrus was also common, but they disappeared long ago (1799). Whales can also be observed offshore, although they are rather rare.

Gray Seal and Harbor Seal

Gray Seals live in the temperate waters along the shores, near rocky islets and sand banks. Their large size makes them easy to spot (adults weigh 275 kg on average). Other identifying marks include widely spaced nostrils in the shape of a “W”, dark color, black head and rather long muzzle. Because of its relatively long nose, this species is often called “horsehead”. Most of the seals you will see around the Islands in summer are of this type. The population of Gray Seals is on the increase in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

The Harbor Seal is a much smaller animal. Average adults weigh in at around 90 kg and are much lighter in color than the gray seal. Their nose is shorter, their nostrils closer together in the shape of a “V”. Harbor Seals spend hours lying on sandbanks, rocks and reefs which appear with the ebbing tide. When the tide comes in again, these seals go out to hunt. This species is currently under observation, as it is declining in most places along the shores of the Saint Lawrence.

Gray seals and Harbor seals can be observed in their natural habitat at the east end of Île Brion, at the end of the Grande Échouerie beach in Grosse-Île, at Corps-Mort Rock and on the beach at Dune-du-Sud, just opposite the Grande-Entrée fishing port. Tour organizers offer zodiac tours and snorkeling with the seals among the seal herd which lives near Corps Mort Rock. This is a wonderful, exciting experience, but can only be experienced in good weather. For the less adventurous, boat tours are also available.

The Harp Seal

The Harp seal is an Arctic species which migrates to the coast of Newfoundland and the Iles de la Madeleine around the end of December. Adults have gray fur marked with wide black bands running down each side of the body and meeting over the back. The Harp seal's head is black. Every year at the beginning of March, hundreds of thousands of harp seals come to the ice floes around the Islands when it is time for the birth of their young, which are called “whitecoats”.

The whitecoat's fur is long and white. Helicopter excursions to observe whitecoats in their natural habitat on the ice floes are available in the îles de la Madeleine. The sight of this immense herd spread out over the endless fields of ice and snow is truly awe-inspiring. Discover the Islands in their winter garb. For the first two weeks of their life, baby seals grow at an amazing rate, thanks to the fact that their mothers' milk is 40% fat. During this period, their lovely white coat peels off and their appearance gives rise to another nickname, "guenilloux", or "ragged-jacket". The baby is weaned approximately two weeks after birth and his mother leaves him on the ice to go off and mate. Once he has finished shedding his baby coat, the young seal is called a “beater”. His fur is now silvery and mottled with darker patches.

For the Madelinots, the arrival of the seal herd signals the beginning of the hunt, time to go out on the ice. The seal hunt is an ancient tradition with the Island people. Over the last few years, however, the hunt has been the target of a campaign by anti-hunting environmentalist groups, and most of the markets have disappeared. Hunters can no longer sell fur seal pelts, so there has been much less hunting since the 80s. As of 1983, killing whitecoats is illegal, forcing many hunters to terminate their subsistence activities.

The seal hunt is a sure sign of the end of the winter and the start of maritime and fishing activities for the Madelinots. Once the herd (“mouvée”) is sighted offshore, preparations for the hunt begin. At daybreak and with favourable winds, squads of five or six hunters begin an arduous day of work. Hauling their flats (small boats called “canottes”), the hunters must often walk ten kilometres or more on the ice before reaching the herd. Once the hunt is finished and the pelts and carcasses are loaded onto the flats, the hunters retrace their path to their distant starting point. The decline of the fur trade put an end to the commercial hunt. Hunting now takes place on an individual basis only. The resulting increased size of the seal herd is causing fears for fish stocks, on which the seals feed.

For information and reservations for whitecoat observation package tours, see your travel agent of visit the section entitled Joys of Winter.

If you would like to learn more about these animals, their observation or the seal hunt, don't miss the permanent exhibit at the Seal Interpretation Centre in Grande-Entrée or try the travelling exhibit «Loups-marin, au pays des Madelinots » which moves from one to another of the different Canadian museums.

Hooded Seal

This is also an Arctic species, living mainly in the waters between Greenland and the European continent. These seals occasionally migrate around the archipelago to give birth on the ice pack. An adult male weighs an average of 300 kg and is easily identified by his blue-gray color and his size. The male has an impressive nasal appendage as well as a hood on his head that he can blow up like a balloon, doubling the volume of his head and giving him a fierce and most impressive appearance. The young of this species are called bluebacks because of their color. It is very dangerous to approach young hooded seals on the ice pack because the adults are very aggressive at this stage of their reproductive cycle.

Minke whale, Fin whale, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, harbor porpoise.

The Îles de la Madeleine sit on an underwater ridge in the middle of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Because of this, the waters around the Islands are fairly shallow and whale sightings are infrequent near the shore. It is possible, however, to see whales occasionally from the C.T.M.A ferry or from cruise ships.

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Land Mammals

Compared to other regions in Quebec, the Islands have few species of land mammals. There are only some small indigenous mammals such as the red fox, the deer mouse, the Norway rat and the meadow vole.

Red squirrels were introduced on the archipelago at the end of the 70s, and they have adapted extremely well to their new environment. A recent population density study shows a higher density of squirrels per square kilometer, probably because there are no predators. Note that this species can be found only on the islands of Havre-Aubert, Cap-aux-Meules and Havre-aux-Maisons.

An attempt was made to introduce the snowshoe hare, but the population was decimated. At the beginning of the 90s, a project was undertaken to reintroduce hares on the island of Havre-Aubert. At present, a few hares are still surviving on Havre-Aubert and Cap-aux-Meules, but a 2002 study shows that their population is declining.

An experiment with a mink farm was also carried out in the past on the island of Havre-Aubert. A few individuals escaped the farm and there is now a small resident population in the ponds around the lagoon at Havre-aux-Basques.