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Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction
Many species live in the same small area for their entire lives. Some are totally stationary such as lichens or plants, while others such as hedgehogs and mountain lions tend to wander around a much larger area (relative to their own size) in order to find food, water, shelter, and mates.
Still another category of animals uses stars and various Earthly features to navigate sometimes complex paths across a continent, or sometimes several continents each year to find food and mates.
Migrations can be done by air, by land, or by waterways and sea. Each species has a particular mode and methods for navigating. Some species have multiple routes traveled by diverging groups who's ancestors had to find unique routes based on where certain resources have been historically found, after changes in weather or land forms.
Now that these types of changes are happening more frequently, and resources such as rivers and feeding grounds are disappearing or dammed up, these same species now have to find new resources or path, or else risk extinction.
Threat To & Along Migratory Routes
Threat To & Along Migratory Routes
Climate Change & Global Warming
Climate Change & Global Warming
As climate change and global warming impact species all over the world, some species such as whales are not changing their migration routes as their food sources struggle to survive in their historical ranges. - The Cooldown: Humpback Whale Migration Behavior
Transit
Transit
Roadways
Roadways
Roadways are a major killer of wild life, not just because of the collisions with wildlife, but the pollution that washes off roads and into nature, as well as the way that roads work as vectors for invasive species, poachers, and other outside threats into previously untouched nature.
Shipping Lanes & Tourist Routes
Shipping Lanes & Tourist Routes
Boats and ships pose many threats to aquatic life including oil spills and bilge waste, physical collisions, and harmful noise from engines which can cause disorientation stress, and even physical harm.
Human Conflict
Human Conflict
Wars
Wars
"Among 18 eagles they were tracking, 15 of them deviated significantly from their migration routes, increasing their 800-kilometer journey across Ukraine by an additional 80 kilometers, on average. One eagle added 250 kilometers to its journey. The eagles also showed a 60% decrease in stopovers they need to feed and rest to finish their migration. While the numbers of eagles they were tracking were relatively few, the impacts were stark.
“In the most extreme cases, it’s like if you were running a marathon but you’re not allowed to take any water breaks,” Russell said, “and at the end someone makes you run an extra eight miles. It’s crazy to think about.”" - Wildlife: Ukraine War Impacts Migrating Eagles
Environmentalists have been jailed for "extremist activity" while trying to protect wildlife. - Wildlife: Ukraine War Impacts Migrating Eagles
Farming & Landscaping
Farming & Landscaping
Throughout history people have waged war against predators and pests of their crops and livestock. In some cases these were direct reactions to actual threats - eagles stealing lamps, or wolves eating calves for example. Other times these were reactions based on misunderstanding. For example killing off moles or other burrowing creatures believes to be attacking crops, when in reality they would have been hunting for bugs that were eating the crop in question.
In humanity's zeal for deadly "solutions", we've often done more harm than good, killing off unintended victims, disrupting natural cycles, and more often than not, causing worse blow back than if we'd simply let nature continue her system.
Maps
Maps
International
International
The Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative includes the Circumpolar Flyway, East Asian Australian Flyway, African-Eurasian Flyway, and the American Flyway.
"Birds Without Boundaries – Migratory, Nomadic & Other Wandering Birds This link contains two maps: "Main Flyways of Migratory Birds" (a world map) & "Migratory Birds – Crossings" (a map of the major crossings between Spain and Morocco, Italy and Tunisia, Israel and Egypt, as well as the crossing between Djibouti/Eritrea/Ethiopia and Yemen)
The East Asian–Australasian Flyway Map includes the migratory routes of Bar-tailed godwit, Ruddy turnstone, Lesser knot, Pacific golden plover, red-necked stint, Whimbrel, Curlew sandpiper, Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Terek sandpiper, and Eastern curlew. "Many of the birds that visit during the northern winter make their journey to New Zealand in stages from the Arctic Circle via Asia, Malesia (the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea) and Australia.
The direct route south over the central Pacific is only taken by bar-tailed godwits from Alaska. On the northern journey they join other species taking the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, stopping to feed en route."
Global Forest Watch "Explore interactive charts and maps that summarize key statistics about global forests. Statistics and global rankings – including rates of forest change, forest extent and drivers of deforestation – can be customized, easily shared and downloaded for offline use."
Padddtracker Tracks backtracking of protected areas for the sake of logging, mining, etc.
Africa
Africa
Track the Great Migration with our monthly predictions "PRESS PLAY or SELECT A MONTH in the timeline below to see our monthly predictions for the annual Great Migration. These predictions will ensure that you're in the right place at the right time to witness this natural world wonder."
Kenya
Kenya
Track the Great Migration with our monthly predictions "PRESS PLAY or SELECT A MONTH in the timeline below to see our monthly predictions for the annual Great Migration. These predictions will ensure that you're in the right place at the right time to witness this natural world wonder."
South Sudan
South Sudan
The Great Migration "The mass movement of at least a million antelopes - one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in the world - is endangered by South Sudan's bloodshed." Kob and tiang migratory routes.
Tanzania
Tanzania
Track the Great Migration with our monthly predictions "PRESS PLAY or SELECT A MONTH in the timeline below to see our monthly predictions for the annual Great Migration. These predictions will ensure that you're in the right place at the right time to witness this natural world wonder."
Asia
Asia
The East Asian–Australasian Flyway Map includes the migratory routes of Bar-tailed godwit, Ruddy turnstone, Lesser knot, Pacific golden plover, red-necked stint, Whimbrel, Curlew sandpiper, Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Terek sandpiper, and Eastern curlew. "Many of the birds that visit during the northern winter make their journey to New Zealand in stages from the Arctic Circle via Asia, Malesia (the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea) and Australia.
The direct route south over the central Pacific is only taken by bar-tailed godwits from Alaska. On the northern journey they join other species taking the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, stopping to feed en route. "
Europe
Europe
Biogeographical Regions’ Map The Biogeographical map developed under Council Directive 92/43/CEE (Natura 2000) formed the basis for this Pan-European extension. 5 Biogeographical regions were added (Arctice, Pannonian, Steppic, Black Sea, and Anatolian).
Migration Routes "Three migration routes in northern Scandinavia." "Semi-nomadic herders can regularly traverse hundreds or even thousands of kilometers tending their herds. This map shows the principal migration routes of reindeer and reindeer herders of northern Norway."
Russia
Russia
Russia’s Aggression Threatens Efforts to Protect Nature Beyond Ukraine "Multiple global migratory waterbird flyways intersect Russia (shaded in dark gray). Conserving areas that migratory birds use while they are in Russia is a critical strategy for protecting the species. Brad K. Woodworth, adapted from Wetlands International, CC BY-ND"
North America
North America
Protecting Elk Migration in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem 🦌"Explore how large land mammals like elk can shape their ecosystems in unexpected ways by following National Geographic Explorer Arthur Middleton on his study of the elk population of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem."
Resources & Guides
Resources & Guides
DIY Migration Map (PDF)
Apps & Tools
Apps & Tools
MapMaker "is a digital mapping tool, created by the National Geographic Society and Esri, designed for teachers, students, and National Geographic Explorers."
Organizations
Organizations
Asia
Asia
Ornithological Society of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia (OSME) "was formed in April 1978 as a successor to the Ornithological Society of Turkey and was expanded in 2001 to cover the Caucasus and Central Asia. Its aims are as follows:
To collect, collate and publish ornithological data on birds of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
To encourage an interest in and conservation of birds of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
To assist environmental and conservation organisations and natural history societies in and concerned with ornithological studies and activities in the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia."
Africa
Africa
Egypt
Egypt
Ornithological Society of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia (OSME) "was formed in April 1978 as a successor to the Ornithological Society of Turkey and was expanded in 2001 to cover the Caucasus and Central Asia. Its aims are as follows:
To collect, collate and publish ornithological data on birds of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
To encourage an interest in and conservation of birds of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
To assist environmental and conservation organisations and natural history societies in and concerned with ornithological studies and activities in the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia."
Tanzania
Tanzania
Traditional Wildebeest Migration "Our goal is to stimulate tourism in remote places that need protection. We do this by filming the experiences and distributing the content globally."
Arctic
Arctic
Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna "is the Biodiversity Working Group of the Arctic Council."
Russia
Russia
Ornithological Society of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia (OSME) "was formed in April 1978 as a successor to the Ornithological Society of Turkey and was expanded in 2001 to cover the Caucasus and Central Asia. Its aims are as follows:
To collect, collate and publish ornithological data on birds of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
To encourage an interest in and conservation of birds of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
To assist environmental and conservation organisations and natural history societies in and concerned with ornithological studies and activities in the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia."
Oceana
Oceana
North America
North America
All About Birds: Bird Guide "ID help and life history info for 600+ North American species"
South America
South America
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