Cape Breton marina site of rare beluga sighting, but whale appears to be weak
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ST. PETER’S – Residents of a Cape Breton community at the southern end of Bras d’Or Lake have reported spotting a beluga whale near a local marina, a rare sighting in the Maritimes.
The huge lake is actually a tidal, inland sea that is fed by the Atlantic Ocean.
The Nova Scotia-based Marine Animal Response Society said the whale was spotted earlier this week and appears to be in poor shape.
“Based on photos shared with us, this individual appears to be in poor body condition, making it especially vulnerable,” the conservation group said in a social media post.
As well, the non-profit group asked people in the area to refrain from using boats or other watercraft to get a closer look at that animal. Federal marine mammal regulations state that it is illegal to come within 100 metres of most whales, dolphins and porpoises.
Meanwhile, the federal Fisheries Department said Thursday the whale in question is likely a member of an endangered population of belugas typically found in the eastern end of the St. Lawrence River.
“Beluga whales aren’t usually found in the Maritimes, but occasionally a lone beluga, pair or trio can show up, likely from the endangered St. Lawrence Estuary population,” department spokesperson Christine Lyon said in an emailed statement.
“Belugas are social mammals. However, it’s important not to interact with them …. If a beluga is interested in you or your boat, ignore the whale to help keep it safe. Repeated human interactions can cause whales to become comfortable with boats, which can lead to serious or fatal injuries.”
In July 2018, as federal officials were drawing up marine mammal regulations, two inquisitive belugas drew onlookers to a beach in eastern Cape Breton. For about a week, the two cruised along the shoreline near the community of Ingonish Beach.
At the time, some captivated onlookers got into the water to swim with them. Videos and photos showed boats and kayaks surrounding the white whales as they bobbed to the surface. One video showed a dog and someone in a wetsuit swimming nearby as one whale surfaced for air.
In September 2015, federal officials looked into reports of people in eastern Newfoundland trying to lasso and ride a beluga near Grates Cove. It was spotted swimming with divers while people were reportedly trying to ride the animal.
And in 2002, a beluga that had become used to people near Calvert, N.L., was killed when it was hit by a boat propeller.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2026.
— By Michael MacDonald in Halifax
