Synopsis
In this book in the Animal Behavior series, discover how, when, where, and why animals migrate.
Kristin Harris - Children's Literature
It is truly inspiring to learn about the great distances traveled by many animals and insects, as a routine part of their lives. It is logical that animals would travel for food or for the proper mating territory. However, for those of us whose homes may be very rooted in one spot for years at a time, it is a pretty amazing process to consider. Some mammals that migrate do so alone, as do foxes. Gray whales migrate in small groups. Lemmings and zebras migrate in groups that many include thousands of their own kind. For both lemmings and zebras this may include dangerous water crossings that many do not survive. Other mammals, such as the badger, migrate only far enough away from their parents' home to set up their own territory. The twelve-inch Artic tern is the world's long distance migrating champion. They travel 22,000 miles, from the Artic to the Antarctic and back again. One of the things birds do to prepare for such a journey is to put on a lot of body fat to fuel their flight. Insects migrate too. Some insects are constantly migrating, like the army ants. They move in long wide lines looking for food, and eating whatever gets in their path. Salmon return to their spawning grounds to mate. This migration may be up waterfalls, over rocks and against current. Those are not the only hardships. Fishermen and bears try to catch the salmon on their journey home. This book is very nicely illustrated with watercolor paintings and maps. 2005, Kids Can Press, Ages 6 to 10.