Millions of types of animals migrate due to different reasons. Some take on the travel in search for food, to mate, or even due to the season. The length of how far they travel varies as much as their reason to migrate. Most routes are measured in miles, but can you imagine migrating from one end of the earth to another?
Below are 6 animals with remarkably far migration routes and the reasons why they move in the first place.
Monarch butterfly
Although they don’t travel as far as the other animals in the list, these beautiful butterflies still take a journey that sounds impossible to finish in a lifetime. In fact, since they only have a few months to live, it actually takes about two to three generations to finish the whole migration pattern. This means that as they are born, mature, propagate and die, they are actually following the migration route. The route is embedded in the butterfly’s DNA so no matter where they are born, they continue on the path. They mainly migrate due to the changing of the season.
Whales
Most whale species migrate in a variety of distances, mainly to feed and breed in different hemispheres. Humpback whales, which are one of the biggest animals on the planet, would spend their summers feeding in the polar waters but would travel more than 6,000 miles to breed during winter. Gray whales can travel 10,000 to 12,000 miles in a year. And the southern right whale can reach a total traveled distance of 5,500 miles just to finish their breeding and feeding migration cycle.
Arctic tern
Some bird species are known for their long migration patterns. Arctic terns are able to travel a staggering 44,000 miles in a single year. They breed during the summer in the Arctic and move to the Antarctic areas during winter and then back again every year. This bird can beat anyone when it comes to frequent flyer points.
Pectoral sandpiper
This bird may not be as big as other migratory birds, but the pectoral sandpiper travels a distance of 18,000 miles a year. They fly annually from their breeding grounds in northern Asia, Canada and Alaska to the Southern Hemisphere, specifically Australia and South America.
Sooty shearwater
A large bird that has a wingspan that reaches about three feet wide, this bird is built for flying. They migrate yearly, traveling a distance of 40,000 miles. They circle between the North and South Hemispheres to feed and breed.
Globe skimmer dragonfly
A perfect name for this amazing insect, the globe skimmer dragonfly is probably the most well-traveled insect on earth. Although they only grow to about an inch in length, these dragonflies are able to travel a journey that will take them 2,300 miles to finish. And since they move more than once a year, scientist say that they can achieve a total traveled distance of about 11,000 miles per year.
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