Migration
Migration
Animals migrate over significant distances to survive seasonal changes or flee natural disasters. Some of these behaviors are innate, others learned.
Learning Objective: Describe how genetics and experience relate to migratory behaviors in various species.
If you have studied world history or sociology, you have probably learned about significant migrations in our own species. Other animals migrate for many of the same reasons: avoiding harsh seasonal changes, leaving areas of limited food availability, escaping conflict, and surviving natural disasters.
The big differences are that humans have more choices in dealing with changing environmental conditions, and we are not as strongly genetically programmed to migrate as many other animal species.
This video introduces innate and learned aspects of animal migration.
Watch this video; you can select the closed captioning “cc” option if you would like to see the text.
Ocean-going (anadramous) salmon not only migrate great distances, they also have to physically change to be able to tolerate different water chemistry. This video uses a game to illustrate the story of salmon runs.
These are hatchery salmon that have returned to the stream next to the facility where they were raised. The fish in the second video are spawning.
An indicator of the cultural significance of salmon is how many historic and contemporary art forms in our region incorporate the salmon life cycle.
One of the most dramatic migrations in the world is the thousands of miles traveled by a subspecies of Monarch Butterfly. This video provides an overview.
Monarch butterfly on a zinnia flower
The next section is a closer look at one of the primary factors that drives migration: seasonal changes.
Check your knowledge – Migration
Review your notes. Can you explain how and why animals migrate? If so, move forward to the next page.
Learning Objective:
Describe how genetics and experience relate to migratory behaviors in various species.
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Behaviors Contents
Complete all five of these sections before taking the quiz and submitting your media piece.
This Module
9: Why does it behave like this?
This Guide
9B: Behaviors
Products Information
9B: Quiz & Media
