Longest Animal Migrations in the World
by Owen Borville
July 25, 2024
Biology, Biosciences
Longest Bird Migrations
The Arctic tern (bird) is considered the animal with the longest migration in the world, traveling up to 71,000 kilometers (44,000 miles) each year between Greenland and Antarctica. The tern has a black cap, forked tail, and breeds in the Arctic, sub-Arctic, and Atlantic regions in the summer, then migrates south to Antarctica for the winter, and back again in the spring.
The Sooty shearwater (bird) makes a similar journey to the Arctic tern, but is about 4,000 miles (6,440 kilometers) shorter. The Bar-tailed godwit (bird) flies 6,835 miles (10,997 kilometers) nonstop between New Zealand and China in nine days, the longest nonstop flight of any bird.
Longest Mammal Migrations
Bats migrate thousands of miles from all over Africa to a freshwater habitat rich in fruit, berries, and flowers.
The Caribou migrates over 800 miles round trip between summer and winter ranges in Canada and Alaska.
Millions of wildebeest make long migrations across East Africa from Kenya to Tanzania.
Longest Marine Migrations
Scientists tracked a great white shark in 2003 that traveled 6,900 miles between South Africa and Australia in 99 days. The shark may have traveled as far as 12,400 miles.
Leatherback sea turtles have been recorded to travel across the Pacific Ocean between Indonesia and the western coast of the United States, over 10,000 miles.
Giant baleen whales travel 10,000 to 14,000 miles on a roundtrip across the oceans from the tropics to the Arctic or Antarctic.
Seals migrate up to 13,000 miles per year across the oceans.
Salmon migrate hundreds of miles in freshwater and up to 1,000 miles in the oceans.
Tuna migrate 5,000 miles in the Pacific Ocean between Japan to California.
Zooplankton are microscopic organisms including diatoms that migrate 3,000 feet vertically per day in the ocean in search of food.
Insects
Dragonflies travel 14-18,000 kilometers from India to Mozambique and back, as observed by scientists, including a four generation relay migration.
Monarch butterflies travel 3,000 miles across North America between western Canada, California, and Mexico over three to four generations during the migration.
nationalgeographic.com
parks.canada.ca
treehugger.com
by Owen Borville
July 25, 2024
Biology, Biosciences
Longest Bird Migrations
The Arctic tern (bird) is considered the animal with the longest migration in the world, traveling up to 71,000 kilometers (44,000 miles) each year between Greenland and Antarctica. The tern has a black cap, forked tail, and breeds in the Arctic, sub-Arctic, and Atlantic regions in the summer, then migrates south to Antarctica for the winter, and back again in the spring.
The Sooty shearwater (bird) makes a similar journey to the Arctic tern, but is about 4,000 miles (6,440 kilometers) shorter. The Bar-tailed godwit (bird) flies 6,835 miles (10,997 kilometers) nonstop between New Zealand and China in nine days, the longest nonstop flight of any bird.
Longest Mammal Migrations
Bats migrate thousands of miles from all over Africa to a freshwater habitat rich in fruit, berries, and flowers.
The Caribou migrates over 800 miles round trip between summer and winter ranges in Canada and Alaska.
Millions of wildebeest make long migrations across East Africa from Kenya to Tanzania.
Longest Marine Migrations
Scientists tracked a great white shark in 2003 that traveled 6,900 miles between South Africa and Australia in 99 days. The shark may have traveled as far as 12,400 miles.
Leatherback sea turtles have been recorded to travel across the Pacific Ocean between Indonesia and the western coast of the United States, over 10,000 miles.
Giant baleen whales travel 10,000 to 14,000 miles on a roundtrip across the oceans from the tropics to the Arctic or Antarctic.
Seals migrate up to 13,000 miles per year across the oceans.
Salmon migrate hundreds of miles in freshwater and up to 1,000 miles in the oceans.
Tuna migrate 5,000 miles in the Pacific Ocean between Japan to California.
Zooplankton are microscopic organisms including diatoms that migrate 3,000 feet vertically per day in the ocean in search of food.
Insects
Dragonflies travel 14-18,000 kilometers from India to Mozambique and back, as observed by scientists, including a four generation relay migration.
Monarch butterflies travel 3,000 miles across North America between western Canada, California, and Mexico over three to four generations during the migration.
nationalgeographic.com
parks.canada.ca
treehugger.com