Get ready for a wild adventure! This video dives into the jaw-dropping migrations of animals, from the mysterious White Shark Café to birds that travel the globe and dragonflies that cross oceans. Discover how these epic journeys shape ecosystems—and even boost local economies! Hit subscribe so you won’t miss Part 2, and drop a comment telling us which migration blew your mind most! #animals #nature #migration #wildlife #science
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@noelpolotv
0:00 - Mysterious Shark Migrations
1:12 - Record-Breaking Mammal Migrations
3:24 - Epic Journeys of Whales and Birds
6:15 - Geographical Obstacles in Migration
10:23 - Ecological and Economic Effects of Migration
15:18 - Conclusions and Preview
15:42 - Channel Outro and Call to Action
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@noelpolotv
0:00 - Mysterious Shark Migrations
1:12 - Record-Breaking Mammal Migrations
3:24 - Epic Journeys of Whales and Birds
6:15 - Geographical Obstacles in Migration
10:23 - Ecological and Economic Effects of Migration
15:18 - Conclusions and Preview
15:42 - Channel Outro and Call to Action
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00In 2002, scientists from Stanford University used satellite tracking tags to monitor the
00:06movements of great white sharks along the coast of California. The aim of this study was to find
00:12out why great white sharks disappear during the winter season. Because of this, they discovered
00:17a mysterious place that is now called the White Shark Cafe. During autumn, the food supply for
00:22great white sharks increases because of the abundance of pinnipeds such as sea lions and
00:27seals found along the coast of California. Some of these animals also migrate to the area to breed.
00:34Tracking data has shown that by winter, great white sharks leave the coast and travel far out
00:39into the ocean. Some reach as far as Hawaii, but most gather in an area between California and
00:46Hawaii. At first, it was believed that there were almost no food sources in that part of the ocean,
00:51but new studies have shown that it actually has a complete food chain, which sharks take advantage
00:57of by diving deep. Based on data collected in 2018 male and female great white sharks behave
01:03differently in this area, although more studies are still needed. It is believed that finding food and
01:09breeding are the main reasons for their unusual journeys. In the year following this research,
01:14another important study was conducted. But this time, it was on land. Now, before we continue with the video,
01:21if you are new to our channel, click the subscribe button so you are always updated with new information.
01:27Chapter 1. The Longest Migration
01:32Before 2019, it was believed that the caribou had the longest migration on land.
01:39However, there was little solid evidence to support this. This changed when a study was published in
01:46Scientific Reports, where scientists compared the movements of different mammals using GPS data
01:52sets to determine which had the longest migrations and movements in the world.
01:58Caribou spend their summers at higher latitudes to reduce the risk from predators during the time when
02:04they give birth to their young. When the harsh winter begins, most of them move to places that are safer
02:10and
02:10easier to live in. When spring comes, as the ice melts and fresh plants reappear and the paths open up,
02:16they begin to return to their calving grounds. The study showed that the straight-line distance
02:23between their migration areas reaches more than 1,000 kilometers for the entire round trip. The study
02:29also confirmed that the caribou has the longest migration of any land mammal. However, it also showed
02:35that there are some animals that travel a greater total distance within a year. This refers to the
02:41total of all the distances they travel each time they move from one location to another. In the vast
02:46grasslands of Mongolia, a gray wolf was recorded to have traveled more than 7,000 kilometers within a year.
02:53However, this movement is considered part of territorial defense and not a migration.
02:59Scientists also discovered that the Mongolian wildass, or hulan, can travel farther than the caribou,
03:07covering more than 6,000 kilometers each year. But this type of movement is considered nomadic,
03:12or without a permanent route being followed. As impressive as these distances are, they are still
03:18small compared to the extremely long migrations carried out by some sea animals and birds.
03:233. Humpback Whale
03:25More than 5,000 miles to the south, in the waters of Hawaii, you can see a playful humpback whale
03:31seemingly showing off in front of a small humpback calf. The places where humpback whales breed are
03:37widely scattered across the tropical and equatorial regions of the world's oceans. These warmer waters
03:43provide a safe and more comfortable environment for humpback whales to care for their young during the
03:49winter season. Because the pregnancy of a humpback whale lasts for almost a year, those of the right
03:55age for breeding also mate here. Although these tropical oceans are ideal places to spend the winter,
04:02most of the time they lack the food and other natural resources that whales need to survive throughout
04:08the year. That's why, as spring approaches, they begin their long journey toward colder but more abundant
04:14oceans. The exact location of their feeding grounds and the distance of their journey vary depending on
04:20the whale population. For some, this journey can reach up to 8,000 kilometers in just one direction.
04:27When they arrive at their feeding grounds, they spend the entire summer storing fat under their skin
04:32by eating small crustaceans and fish in preparation for the long journey back to the tropical ocean.
04:38In 2013, a female gray whale is believed to have made an extremely rare migration that exceeded 20,000
04:47kilometers, setting a new record for the longest migration by a mammal. But even with a journey that
04:53long, it would still be surpassed by animals that have the ability to fly. Arctic Tern
04:59The Arctic Tern breeds and raises its chicks in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions during the summer in
05:05northern hemisphere. When the breeding season is over, this little bird, which weighs only about 100
05:12grams, begins its endless pursuit of summer to take advantage of the abundant food supply. As it
05:19follows the sunlight, it flies all the way to Antarctica to experience summer in the southern hemisphere.
05:25After that, it simply repeats the same journey back to the north. The Arctic Tern is not the only one
05:31that makes this amazing migration. The sooty Shearwater also travels between the two polar regions each year
05:38and records a total distance of over 60,000 kilometers traveled. In a 2010 study, scientists used a
05:45transmitter attached to an Arctic Tern. They discovered that the bird's route was not straight. Instead, it
05:52follows a zigzag path to take advantage of favorable weather conditions and more opportunities to find food.
05:58Because of this, the total distance it travels in one full migration cycle can reach over 70,000 kilometers.
06:06This is believed to be the longest migration of any animal in the world. In the lifetime of an Arctic
06:12Tern, it can travel more than 2 million kilometers. Chapter 2. Geographical Challenges
06:19No matter how long their journey is, each migration has its own challenges. And often the very geography of
06:26the world is one of the biggest obstacles they have to overcome. As the wildebeest approach the Maasai Mara,
06:32it's not just crocodiles and lions they have to think about. The herds face countless dangers on their
06:38long journey, but few can compare to the danger of crossing the rivers. There are many small obstacles
06:44that the wildebeest can easily overcome, but the two most difficult crossings are the Mara River in the north,
06:50and the Grumetti River on the western part of their migration route. Aside from the crocodiles,
06:56which are an obvious threat to their lives, many wildebeest, zebras, and other animals also try to
07:02cross, but never make it to the other side of the river. One of the first challenges is the deep
07:07erosion
07:07of the land, caused by the strong current of the river. Because of this, steep riverbanks are formed that
07:13they have to overcome even before they can reach the water's edge. Even when the wildebeest find a
07:19place to cross, they still don't know how deep the river is. Because of this, many of them are swept
07:26away by the strong current. Researchers discovered that in 15 years of study, there were mass drownings
07:33of more than 100 wildebeest in 13 of those years. On average, more than 6,000 wildebeest die in the
07:41Mara
07:41River alone each year during migration. Mountains are another geographical feature that are known to
07:46be very difficult to cross. Often, they also serve as natural barriers that prevent many animals from
07:53continuing their migration. However, there are species that are highly adapted to this kind of
07:58environment. There is even a type of migration that refers to the seasonal use of mountainous ecosystems
08:04by animals. This is called altitudinal migration, or the movement of animals to different elevations
08:11in the mountains in response to seasonal changes. According to a study published in 2017 in the
08:16Journal of Field Ornithology, there are 1,238 species of birds, or more than 10 percent of all
08:25known bird species, that perform this type of migration. Birds have a big advantage because they
08:31can fly over the mountains that lie between their origin and their destination. And no other bird does
08:36this more impressively than the bar-headed goose. They cross the Himalayas directly, the highest mountain
08:43range in the world, and have been recorded flying at altitudes reaching up to 24,000 feet. This is the
08:50highest altitude ever recorded for any animal migration. It's even more impressive when you consider that
08:56they can fly continuously for up to 17 hours. And part of that flight takes place at an altitude known
09:04to
09:04humans as the Death Zone, where the air is extremely thin, and oxygen levels are very low. At this point,
09:12it's clear that birds are the true experts when it comes to migration. But there is one creature that
09:17isn't a bird that also undertakes an extraordinary journey through the skies. The Dragonfly. The Dragonfly,
09:24or Tutubi, is featured in an extraordinary story that feels legendary. But if it can be proven to be
09:29completely true, it could be considered one of the most remarkable migrations in the world. As part of
09:36its migration, the Dragonfly travels from India to East Africa, covering an immense distance through
09:42the skies. It is believed that the globe-skimmer Dragonfly can fly from the Maldives to Somalia without
09:47stopping. That's a journey of over 2,000 kilometers. Just imagine that this insect weighs only about 300
09:56milligrams and is less than two inches long. It's hard to track the globe-skimmer because of its small
10:02size. But it's clear that its body is built for long-distance flight. It has light but very strong wings
10:09with a span of about three inches, which gives it the ability to travel very far. If it really does
10:15follow
10:15this route based on its body size, it would be the longest regular and non-stop migratory flight
10:21ever recorded for any animal. Chapter 3. Ecology and Economy
10:27When a large number of individuals of a species arrive in an ecosystem, it can start a chain reaction
10:33that has either positive or negative effects on other organisms. Every year, the colorful
10:39cockney and sockeye salmon in the North Pacific travel from the ocean to rivers and other freshwater
10:46ecosystems along the coast to spawn. In Alaska, this usually begins in the latter part of June,
10:51and the arrival of large numbers of salmon also triggers the subsequent migration of other animals.
10:57This includes the arrival of bears along the rivers. According to the U.S. Park Service,
11:03the bears in Katmai National Park have only six to eight months to eat enough food to sustain them
11:08throughout the entire year. Because of this, the annual arrival of the salmon is one of the most
11:13important events, so they can store fat from high-quality food before autumn arrives.
11:20There have been some bears recorded eating more than two tons of salmon in just one summer.
11:26When there are plenty of salmon, the bears only eat about 25% of each fish's body. They leave the
11:32remaining parts on the riverbanks and in the grasslands. These leftover carcasses become food
11:38for many other animals, including eagles, owls, martins, and minks. In addition, the nutrients from the
11:45partially-eaten salmon carcasses go into the soil, enriching it and helping more abundant and diverse
11:51plants to grow. Because of this, the decline in the population of migratory prey animals like salmon can
11:58cause a widespread domino effect that affects the entire ecosystem. The health of an ecosystem,
12:06as well as the increase in man-made infrastructure such as roads, fences, and buildings, can have a
12:13significant influence on the roots animals take during their migration. There is a population of
12:19pronghorn that undertakes the longest land migration in the continental United States. Every year they travel
12:25approximately 240 kilometers from Grand Teton National Park in the north, where they spend the
12:31summer to Green River Valley in the south, which serves as their home during the winter. Every year
12:37the pronghorn followed the same route during their migration. Although there are obvious obstacles like
12:42fences and walls, there are also other factors that are less noticeable but have a significant impact on
12:49their journey. Many studies have shown that both the type of habitat and man-made structures affect the
12:55migratory behavior of pronghorn. This includes their choice of temporary stopover sites and the
13:00speed of their travel. In one study, it was found that sagebrush, which makes up a large part of the
13:06pronghorn's diet, has the strongest influence on the roots they choose after considering other
13:13characteristics of their habitat. Although the study also showed that wind turbines do not directly block
13:19their migration, they still have a significant impact, especially during spring. It was found that due to
13:26the presence of wind turbines, pronghorns travel faster and spend less time at stopover sites where
13:32they usually stop to eat and rest. It's not only animals that are affected by migration, it can also
13:39have a significant influence on human behavior and even on the local economy, especially when tourists
13:45visit areas where migratory animals pass through. Sandhill cranes spend their winters in the southern
13:51states of the United States and in the northern part of Mexico. When migration season comes, they fly
13:57together northward to their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska. During their journey, they stop at
14:03certain selected places to rest and look for food. One of the most important stopover sites is the San Luis
14:09Valley in the state of Colorado, where the vast wetlands are visited by tens of thousands of sandhill
14:15cranes. Because of this breathtaking scenery, many tourists visit the area to witness the amazing
14:22migration of the birds. According to a study conducted in 2021, it is estimated that more than 7,500
14:30groups of visitors pass through the San Luis Valley to watch the annual gathering of the sandhill cranes.
14:36Specifically, the migration of the sandhill cranes is estimated to add more than $3 million to the
14:43local economy each year. This amount comes from tourists spending on hotels, food, gas, shopping,
14:51and other services while they visit to witness the amazing migration of the birds. This proves that
14:59allocating funds and efforts to protect these migrations is not only important for the survival of the
15:05animals. It also provides positive economic benefits and a good return on investment for local
15:11governments and communities that protect their natural resources. Thank you very much for watching.
15:18I hope you learned something new about the amazing migrations of animals and how they overcome so many
15:24challenges on their journeys. But our journey doesn't end here. In part two, we will take an even closer look
15:31at
15:31some of the most fascinating ones, and the most extreme migrations in the world, along with the
15:37incredible strategies of different animals to survive and continue their species. So if you enjoyed this
15:43video, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to Noel Polo TV. Also, hit the notification bell so you
15:49won't miss part two. Until next time, this is Noel Polo TV saying let's investigate and find out.
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