Do you know about Animal Migration? 🐦

00:00:00
Speaker 1: You're listening to sleep Tight Science. Did you know that the leatherback sea turtle can travel over ten thousand miles or sixteen thousand kilometers in search of jellyfish, their main source of food. What I wish they would visit one of our beaches. Jellyfish aren't always fun. Hello, friends, and welcome back to sleep Tight Science, a bedtime show that answers your questions about science. In this episode, we will learn about the wonderful world of animal migration and answer some of the questions you our listeners have submitted about this topic and others. Have you ever wondered why some animals like birds, disappear in winter, or why some animals travel long distances in search of food, warmer weather, or a safe place to have babies. In this episode, we are talking about when certain animals like birds, butterflies, whales, and even some fish travel from one place to another. This grand journey is called migration. What is animal migration? Animal mind migration is a periodic movement of animals between two regions to breed or find food. They may do this every year or only twice in a lifetime. Migrations are seasonal or lifetime journeys made to the same destination or place. Animals migrate by instinct, finding their way across land and sea in ways that still need to be clearly understood. Animals migrate to find food and to breed. The instinct is most common among animals living in regions with extreme seasonal variations or changes. Birds are common migrants. Swallows, for example, fly south from Europe and North America every fall to winter in Africa or South America. They eat insects which aren't plentiful in northern winters. Each year, the Arctic tern migrates from summer in the Arctic to summer in the Antarctic, a return trip of over forty four thousand, one hundred miles or seventy thousand, nine hundred kilometers on average. The Arctic tern is a small, slender, gray and white bird with angular wings, and is well known for its long yearly migration. Arctic urns are social birds, foraging in groups and nesting on the ground in colonies. To navigate, migrating birds follow geographical features. They may also be guided by the sun, the stars, and Earth's magnetic field. Other animal travelers include reindeer, whales, turtles, eels, salmon and butterflies. Monarch butterflies from the United States and Canada fly south in flocks to winter in Mexico. Some travel for over one thousand, five hundred and fifty miles or two thousand, five hundred kilometers. Now for some questions not entirely related to animal migration, SID asks how long baby ducks take to be born and where the father ducks go once the baby is born. Baby ducks or ducklings don't take too long to be born. In fact, their development happens inside eggs, just like chickens. Typically, it takes about twenty eight days for a duckling to develop and be ready to hatch from its egg. During this time, the mother duck will sit on her eggs to keep them warm and provide the necessary care and protection, but the father duck in most cases, after the mother duck lays her eggs, leaves the nesting area. He might join other male ducks in a group called a bachelor flock, or go off on his own. Doesn't sound fair, but that's what they do. The mother duck is primarily responsible for incubating the eggs and caring for the ducklings once they hatch. She keeps the eggs warm by sitting on them and turns them regularly to make sure they develop properly. She'll even rotate the eggs to distribute the heat evenly. Once the baby ducks are ready to hatch, they use a special tooth on their beak called an egg tooth, to crack open the egg shell from the inside. This process is known as hatching, and it can take some time as the duckling pecks its way out. When the ducklings finally break free from their shells, they are covered in down feathers, which are very soft and fluffy. They are unable to fly right away, so the mother duck leads them to the nearest body of water, like a pond or a lake. This is where they'll learn how to swim and find food. Thanks for the question, sid Rebecca nine asks how can we help endangered animals? Here are some ideas that we found. One of the things we can do is to learn about endangered animals and spread awareness. By understanding their challenges and sharing that knowledge with others, we can inspire people to take action. Another way we can help is by supporting organizations that work to protect and conserve endangered animals. Many dedicated groups around the world focus on research, habitat preservation, and rehabilitation of these precious creed. You can contribute by donating to these organizations or volunteering your time to help. Conserving and preserving natural habitats is crucial for the survival of endangered animals. These habitats provide them food, shelter, and places to raise their young. We can do our part by practicing responsible land use, reducing pollution, and supporting sustainable practices such as recycling and using renewable energy sources. Lastly, another important action we can all participate in is to be mindful of our consumption habits. The choices we make as consumers can significantly impact the environment and the animals that live in it. By choosing sustainable products, avoiding single use plastics, and supporting companies that prioritize environmentally friendly practices, we can help reduce the negative impact on endangered animals and their habitats. These four ideas should be a good start. Thank you for your question. Rebecca Rory asks how do frogs croak? Croaking is a way for frogs to communicate with each other. Frogs have a special vocal sack like a flexible pouch on their throats. This vocal sack acts as a resonator, amplifying the sound that frogs produce. When a male frog wants to croak, he takes a deep breath and fills his lungs with air. Then he forces the air out of his lungs by closing his nostrils and pushing the air through his vocal cords, which are located in the throat. As the air passes through the vocal cords, they vibrate, producing sound waves. But that's not all. As the sound waves travel through the vocal cords, they enter a special vocal sack, a flexible pouch located at their throats. The vocal sack acts like an echo chamber, amplifying the sound and making it louder and more noticeable. Different species of frogs have different croaking sounds, which can vary in pitch, duration and pattern. Thank you for your question, Rory, What are the types of migration? When it comes to animal migration, there are a few different types that animals can undertake. These types of migration can happen in various ways, and different animals have their own unique migration patterns. The first type is what we are most familiar with where we live, which is long distance migration. Some animals travel really long distances when they migrate. They might fly, swim, or walk thousands of miles to find better food, warmer weather, or safe places to have babies. Monarch butterflies and Arctic tern birds are great examples of long distance migrators. Another is Canada geese, which are known for their impressive migration journeys. On average, Canada geese migrate around one thousand, five hundred to two thousand, five hundred miles, which is two thousand, four hundred to four thousand kilometers. However, their exact distance can vary depending on the specific populations and their roots. The next type is short distance migration. Not all migrations are super long. Some animals only travel shorter distances to find what they need. They might move from one area to another, within the same region, or even just within their own habitat. This kind of migration is common among certain bird species or even some mammals. An example of a species that undergoes short distance migration is the cariboo, also known as reindeer. Cariboo live in cold regions such as the Arctic and Subarctic areas. They undertake relatively shorter migrations during the changing seasons to find better food sources and escape harsh winter conditions. In the summer, caribou migrate from their wintering grounds where food may be scarce, to areas with abundant vegetation, such as tone or alpine meadows. As winter approaches, they migrate back to their wintering grounds, where they are adapted to survive in cold and snowy conditions. These shorter migrations allow caribou to take advantage of changing food availability and adapt to the different seasonal conditions they encounter throughout the year. The third type we found is altitudinal migration. This type of migration is all about going up and down in the same area. Some animals, like deer, will move to higher elevations during the summer to escape the heat and find better food. Then when winter arrives, they'll migrate back down to lower elevations where it's warmer. An example would be the Himalayan snowcock. These birds are known to undertake altitudinal migrations in mountainous regions during the summer breeding season. Himalayan snowcocks inhabit higher elevations, such as rocky slopes and alpine meadows in the Himalayan Mountains. They choose these areas for nesting and foraging as they offer suitable breeding habitat and ample food resources during the winter months. However, as winter approaches and the high elevation areas become covered in deep snow and experience extreme cold, the Himalayan snowcocks migrate to lower elevations to find better shelter and more available vegetation and to escape the harsh winter conditions. Lastly, we have latitudinal migration. This type involves animals moving from one latitude to another. Fitcher birds that fly from the northern parts of the world to the southern parts for the winter, seeking milder temperatures and more food. It's like a birdy vacation, though not a bird. The humpback whale is a great example. They reside in cold, nutrient rich polar waters near the poles, such as the Arctic and Antarctic regions. These areas provide an abundant food supply, primarily small fish and krill. The whales spend their time feeding and building up fat reserves. As winter approaches, and food availability decreases in the polar regions. Humpback whales embark on a long distance migration to warmer waters closer to the equator. They travel to tropical or subtropical regions such as Hawaii, Mexico, or the Caribbean to breed and give birth to their young. How do animals know where to go during migration? Animals have some amazing tricks up their sleeves or wings, fins, or paws when finding their way during migration. They use different clues and senses to navigate their long journeys. Here's how they do it. Magnetic fields. Some animals, like birds and sea turtles, have a special sense that can detect Earth's magnetic fields. It's like having an internal compass. They can sense the magnetic pull and use it as a guide to know which way is north, south, east, or west. Isn't that incredible? Landmarks and visual clues. Have you ever noticed how birds can fly in a V shape or how butterflies follow specific roots. They are good at using landmarks and visual will close along the way. They might use mountains, rivers, or even the position of the sun and stars to guide them. It's like having a built in map sense of smell. Believe it or not, some animals have an amazing sense of smell that helps them navigate. Salmon, for instance, can detect chemical signals in the water that guide them back to their birthplace to spawn. Talk about following your nose inherited knowledge. Here is something mind blowing. Some animals actually inherit knowledge about migration roots from their parents. It's like they're born with a built in GPS system. They learn from their parents and other members of their species, so they know where to go even without having made the journey before. These are just a few examples of how animals know where to go during migration. Nature has equipped them with incredible abilities to find their way across vast distances. It's like they have their own superpowers. What is the human impact on animal migration? This is a huge and important topic that we have broken down into five brief parts that show how our actions can affect the journeys of animals around the world. First is habitat destruction. Human activities such as deforestation and urbanization can destroy the habitats that animals rely on during migration. When forests are cut down or wetlands are drained, it disrupts the natural environment that animals need for resting, feeding, and breeding along their migration routes. Climate change has a huge effect. As humans release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, it leads to global warming and changes in weather patterns. These changes can affect the timing of seasons, the availability of food, and access to suitable habitats for migratory animals. Third is pollution. Pollution, like water and air, pollution can have a negative impact on migratory animals. For example, ocean oil spills can harm marine life and disrupt migration patterns. We all need to try our best to take care of our environment and keep it clean for all creatures. Obstacles and barriers affect migration. Humans often build structures like roads, fences, and buildings that can obstruct the natural migration roots of animals. These barriers can force animals to take longer and more dangerous paths, or prevent them from reaching their destinations off altogether. Lastly, we have overhunting and fishing. Some migratory animals, like whales and certain bird species, have been hunted excessively. This can disrupt their populations and put their migrations at risk. Similarly, overfishing can deplete fish stocks, affecting the availability of food for migratory species that rely on these resources. Conservation efforts, protecting habitats and reducing our carbon footprint are some ways we can help reduce our impact on animal migration. By being aware and responsible, we can ensure that these incredible journeys continue for generations to come. We all can do our part. Fun facts. Did you know that some butterflies migrate but can't fly straight. They flutter and zigzag their way to their destination like they're doing a butterfly dance party in the sky. The wildebese migration in Africa is so massive that it has been called the greatest show on Earth. It is estimated that around one point five million wildebeasts participate in this epic migration, making at one of the largest land migrations on Earth. Monarch butterflies are known for their remarkable multi generational migration. It takes multiple generations to complete the journey from North America to Mexico and back. Some species of eels migrate thousands of miles from freshwater rivers to the ocean to spawn. They navigate through various obstacles and even climb waterfalls to reach their destination. The bar headed goose holds the record for the highest recorded migration altitude, lying over the Himalayas at heights of up to twenty nine thousand, five hundred feet or nine thousand meters during its journey. Species of birds like the European bee eater migrate in large flocks called rafts or kettles, consisting of hundreds or thousands of individuals flying together. Not related to migration, sloths are known for being incredibly slow movers. But did you know they only poop once a week? Talk about being leisurely, even in the bathroom department. They climb down from their tree perches and do their business on the ground, a truly unusual habit or a tree dwelling animal. The axe lotel, a cute aquatic creature, has the superpower of regenerating body parts. If they lose a limb, they can regrow it. It's like having a built in superhero ability to replace what they've lost. The laughing kuckaburra, a bird native to Australia, has a unique call that sounds like human laughter. Imagine walking in the Australian bush and suddenly hearing a bird that sounds like it's cracking up with laughter. Did you know that some goats have an incredible ability to climb trees? Yes, you heard it right. Tree climbing goats such as the Moroccan argon tree goats can be seen perched on the branches munching on leaves. In this episode, we learned about migration. Migration is a periodic movement of animals between two regions to breed or find food. We looked at some of the different animals that migrate, such as birds, deers, whales, and more. We talked about the different kinds of migration like long distance, short distance, altitudinal, and latitudinal, and some of the animals that perform these kinds of migration. We also looked at the problems that are causing trouble for some animals when they try to migrate. This episode was made with questions from Sid, Rebecca and Rory. Thank you to Andrew, Omari, Naomi, and Van. We hope to use your ideas in future episodes. This is our final episode of season two. We will return with some extra episodes with your questions over the summer, so please keep sending us your questions and If you have any feedback, please also send it our way. And three is a great chance for us to introduce changes to the show, so be sure to send in that feedback. Also, we would love it if you left us a review. Wherever you listen to podcasts, your review might help others decide to listen to our show too. Please send us your questions or feedback to Hello at sleep tightscience dot com. Thank you, and sleep tight