Salmon and Arctic Tern

Each year, Grey Whales undertake a 20,000km journey from their feeding grounds around the Bering Straits, where the continents of Asia and North America come close to each other, to the Pacific coasts of northern Mexico, where they breed. This is the longest migration of any mammal. After four summer months in the northern seas, as the end of September each year, the move begins to Mexico where they arrive at Christmas time. On the trip, Grey Whales travel at speeds of up to 185 km a day! After the young are born, the whales set off again in February, but the return journey is slower, because of the presence of the new calves, and the effect of the currents..

PACIFIC SALMON


There are 5 species of Pacific Salmon, found on the west coasts of North America from Alaska to southern California. They are born in the upper waters of the fast-moving rivers that flow into the Pacific. After one or two years of life, the young fish travel down these rivers to the sea, where they spend their adult life. Then they make their way back, across thousands of kilometers, from the far side of the Pacific Ocean, to the river waters of their birth. When they set out, they are in prime condition, but they cease eating when they enter the river mouths. The few that survive the exhausting journey, against fierce currents, over waterfalls and through rapids, without being eaten by predators or caught by fishermen, lay their eggs with the last of their strength, and then die!.

ARCTIC TERN


When it comes to migration, of all the animals in the world, the Arctic Tern is the long-distance record-breaker! When it is summer in the northern half of the world, or “hemisphere”, Arctic Terns breed within the Arctic Circle. When winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, they fly sough towards the Antarctic Circle, where it is then summer, in order to pass the other half of the year in the southern hemisphere. In a period of 10 months, one Arctic Tern is known to have flown a distance of over 22,500 km! Consequently, as some of these birds both nest and winter in parts of the world where the sun never sets, they see more daylight than any other living animal!.