The territory covered by the pilots of the Lower St. Lawrence is a jewel of marine life. Particularly in the Charlevoix region, particular care is taken to protect and conserve fauna and flora and marine life. In 1988, the region was recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere program.
The Charlevoix World Biosphere Reserve is part of a prestigious worldwide network of protected areas. Collectively, biosphere reserves form a World Network. Within this network, exchanges of information and experience are facilitated to help achieve a sustainable balance between conserving natural ecosystems and biodiversity and using them without degradation of natural ecosystems.
Water: The Source of All Life
The St. Lawrence and Saguenay Rivers play host to thousands of species of animals and plants. The territory covered by Lower St. Lawrence Pilots is a particularly fertile and fascinating natural environment.
Primarily in the area of Tadoussac, the confluence of the brackish waters from the St. Lawrence River, fresh water from the Saguenay River and the cold salt water current coming directly from the Atlantic create a unique ecosystem that supports marine life of exceptional diversity.
Here’s a look at the leading marine life found in the St. Lawrence River:
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Whales
Not less than 13 species of cetaceans make their way through the St. Lawrence estuary. Most of them make the estuary their home during summer and fall to take advantage of the abundance of food found in the region at this time of year.
The only species that calls the St. Lawrence home all year long is the beluga, a white whale that can reach from 3 to 5 metres in length and weigh from 500 to 1,500 kilograms.
To learn more about whales of the St. Lawrence River, visit the Whales-Online website.
Snow Geese
The migration of hundreds of thousands of snow geese in both the spring and fall is a big event, especially in the regions of Cap Tourmente and Montmagny where the birds stop to rest before continuing their long biannual journey.
In this region, the tidal flats of the St. Lawrence River are abundant in American bulrush, a plant that snow geese and numerous other species of birds love to eat.
Other Species
The loss of wild species is one of the greatest environmental concerns currently facing our planet.
Biodiversity is decreasing and ecosystem equilibrium is being affected. Even though the St. Lawrence River and its banks continue to be an exceptionally rich natural environment, many species are starting to be at greater risk, such as ducks, waterfowl and guillemots, to name a few.
For more information, consult the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park website.
A scuba instructor has classified more than 120 marine species found in the icy waters of the North Atlantic, including the St. Lawrence River.
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