Animals that migrate on land

Caribou - also called reindeer, live in the tundra, a cold and snowy place. In North America, they migrate to the northern coast every spring to give birth to their calves. Caribou also hold the record for the longest overland migration. 

Wildebeest and zebras - these animals from the African savanna are constantly travelling. They follow the growth of grass which depends on the seasonal rains. They migrate in a giant clockwise circle and are often followed by predators! The young ones stay in the middle of the herd where they can be protected.

Animals that migrate in the air

Geese -migrate together forming a ‘V’ shape. Canadian geese fly south during the winter and return to the north in the summer.

Arctic terns - have the longest distance migration record of all birds. They fly between the Arctic and the Antarctic every year! They are so fast they can do the trip of almost 50,000 miles in around 40 days.

The monarch butterfly - has one of the most fascinating migrations of all. The same butterfly doesn’t actually return, the children and grandchildren of the butterflies begin the journey back.

Animals that migrate in the water

Salmon - have one of the most difficult migrations of all sea animals, their migration requires a lot of strength. The unusual thing about salmon is that they are born in freshwater. When they grow they swim down river and live most of their lives in the ocean. When it’s time to lay their eggs they migrate back to the place they were born, swimming upstream! They die soon after laying their eggs.

Gray whales - almost all gray whales spend the summer in the Bering Sea (located between Alaska and Russia). This sea is full of zooplankton which whales love to eat. At the end of the summer, they travel to warmer waters of Mexico to breed and give birth. Mothers and calves stay here gaining strength until they’re ready for the journey back north.

Fun facts

• Male and female walruses migrate separately.
• When sea turtles lay their eggs, they migrate back to the same beach they were born on.

• Emperor penguins walk across 125 miles of ice every year to have their babies.
• Insects migrate too. The dragonfly has the longest migration of all insects.
• The red crab of Christmas Island synchronises its trip with all the other red crabs of the island. There can be so many travelling together that entire roads have to be closed off during their migration.
• The semipalmated sandpiper flies non stop over the Atlantic ocean. The migration is so tough that some younger birds have to wait until they are two years old to do it.
• Hummingbirds double their body fat before migrating so they can fly without stopping to eat. They can fly forwards, backwards and up and down, this helps them withstand the winds which would normally blow away such a tiny bird.