Birds, butterflies, and wildebeests aren’t the only living things to migrate in astounding ways! The oceans provide a home to some of our planet’s most travelled entities. It’s a living world below the sea where a large number of species make extraordinary journeys every year over long periods of time. From whales to turtles, these sea migrations are spectacles of strength and change that carry a lot of importance within sea ecosystems and our world.
1. Gray Whale
Gray Whales may be among the oldest mammals on planet Earth. They have changed their migratory path for almost 30 million years. They now have a record migratory path of 12,400 miles round-trip. They migrate between October in the Bering Sea and winter in the Gulf of California.
2. Leatherback Turtle
The educational video created by SEE Turtles, shows how leatherback sea turtles migrate. They migrate thousands of miles in order to locate a source of nutrition and a site where they can lay their eggs. Unlike common migrations between the north pole and the south pole, however, the leatherback sea turtle migrates an astonishing 10,000 miles west.
3. Orcas
Orcas are another species of whale that migrates a long distance. They travel in large herds of around 40 whales. They can travel up to 6,200 miles from Antarctica to a warmer climate where they can easily molt their outer skin.
4. Blue Marlin
The fisherman got a great video of a blue marlin swimming under his boat. While there isn’t much known about how fish move, a tagged blue marlin was once seen traveling over 9,000 miles from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean.
5. Elephant Seal
The northern elephant seal follows a path like the gray whale and travels about 13,000 miles. However, they are unique because they migrate twice! This means each trip is about 6,500 miles long. They also stay very pregnant during their travels.
Underwater migrations of sea creatures aren’t simply majestic migrations; they are a crucial part of that delicate balance within seas. We can admire how these organisms manage to survive and thrive, while we still must understand how we must preserve their habitats and the seas overall. If we keep these places in good condition, we can assure these magnificent migrations will continue to occur for a long time to come!
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