Miles and miles of travel and transit of animals; their annual migration, is one of the world's greatest wildlife spectacles.
Rasshmie Salunkhay
Feb 29, 2024
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Wildebeests
Over 1.5 million wildebeests migrate annually across Northern Tanzania and Kenya in search of greener pastures.
Monarch Butterflies
Monarch butterflies migrate from North America to southern parts of California and Mexico. They are said to cover around 4800 kms, as it is difficult to survive the cold conditions.
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Common starlings from northern Europe, Russia and Ukraine migrate towards the south-east and south-west, to eschew harsh winters and food scarcity.
Starlings
Emperor Penguins
Emperor penguins migrate for breeding during March and cover more than 150 kms in the process.
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Zebras
Zebras migrate in search of nutritious forage where millions of them cover a distance of over 800 kms.
Flamingos
Flamingos that breed in high-altitude lakes migrate to regions of warmer climates like Iran or India as the weather starts getting colder.
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Reindeer
Reindeer (also known as Caribou) herds migrate northward in summer. When the first snow falls, they travel towards the south. Annually, they travel a distance of over 2500 kms.
Red Crabs
Around October/November each year, millions of red crabs travel across Christmas Island towards the coast for breeding.
Humpback Whales
Humpback whales travel from land to water for the winters. Those in the northern hemisphere travel to Hawaii while those in the southern hemisphere migrate to eastern Australia. They cover a distance of more than 9000 kms.
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Slender Silversides
The Slender Silverside fish migrate and move offshore during the winter in large schools for breeding.
Arctic Terns
Known for being long-distance migrants, Arctic Terns travel from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back every year. Due to this journey, they see more daylight than any other animal in the world.
Other Massive Migrations
Northern Elephant Seals (migrate to the North Pacific, twice a year)
Bar-headed Geese (fly over the Himalayas and migrate to South Asia during winters)
Dragonflies (Green darners fly across North America in spring and fall)
Fruit Bats (Around 10 million straw-colored fruit bats gather in Kasanka National Park, Zambia)
Sea Turtles (Migrate from the oceans to the beaches for breeding, covering thousands of kilometers)
Sooty Shearwaters (migrate individually, not in flocks, covering a circular path around the Pacific and Atlantic oceans)