There’s a magic in the way the sea greets the morning—sometimes with a hush, sometimes with a frolic of whales who seem to pop up when you least expect them. Lemur, a male humpback with a dashing tail streak reminiscent of a lemur’s flair, has been known to turn even the saltiest mariner’s head, wherever he surfaces.
Lemur’s wanderings first caught the community’s eye near Maine, paddling unseen paths off the coast in July of 2023. But it wasn’t long before word spread up the Shepscot River that September: a whale, big as legend, appeared where river whisper meets ocean swell. Locals leaned in—Lemur was on the move.
After a quiet winter, Lemur’s adventure led north—by June of 2024, he’d sidled into Quebec’s Baie de Gaspé, painting arcs in the cool St. Lawrence waters. The lighthouse keepers likely ate their lunch a bit slower, just hoping for another glimpse.
Not one for long rests, Lemur zigzagged back to Boothbay Harbor and Boothbay proper through the summer of 2024 and again in 2025, stirring up a joyous fuss of binoculars, pointing fingers, and a few delighted gasps. As autumn crept in, Lemur ventured deep to Jeffreys Ledge, lingering among the swirl of fish and the hullabaloo of boaters.
But the real thrill stirred in July 2026—Lemur found himself breaching in the mist and rock-walled embrace of Bay Bulls, Newfoundland and Labrador. The locals along the cliffs surely swapped stories about his tail’s distinctive mark and wondered what tides might bring him next.
Have you seen Lemur? If you’ve spotted him—tail up, just like his namesake—add your sighting and photo. Every report grows his story and helps us unlock the mysteries of where, how, and why these marvellous travellers roam.
Humpback whales in the North Atlantic, like Lemur, often travel over 5,000 kilometres from their summer feeding grounds to tropical waters for the winter!
Maine, United States
July 24, 2023
Shepscot River near Westport Island, Maine, United States
September 3, 2023
Baie de Gaspé, Quebec, Canada
June 14, 2024
Boothbay Harbor, Maine, United States
August 14, 2024
This is Happywhale's real data for this whale. The story above was generated based on these details, and a few creative assumptions.
Now that you've met Lemur, introduce them to your friends! Share this page directly below or to post as a social media story. Use #HelloHumpbackNL in your post to stay connected to all the other whale stories from Newfoundland and Labrador's coasts.
Get a printable version of this story.
By submitting to Happywhale, your sighting can become part of Lemur's data. Not only will it make their story richer for the next time they're spotted, but you'll become part of a global citizen science effort to better understand our oceans and the humpback whales that call them home.
