Why do animals migrate long distances every year?

Animals travel far away every year because they need better homes and more food.

Imagine you live in a small house that gets really cold in winter. You don’t have enough food to eat, so you decide to go visit your grandma who lives in a warm house with lots of cookies. That’s kind of like what some animals do!

Why they leave

Some animals move because the weather changes. In places where it gets very cold or dry, there might not be enough food or water for them to survive. So they go on a long trip to find a place that's more comfortable.

Why they come back

When the weather warms up again, those same animals travel back home because they miss their old homes, and maybe they want to have babies there too!

It’s like going on an adventure with your friends, you leave for a while, but you always come back!

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Examples

  1. A group of birds fly from North America to South America every year.
  2. Some fish swim thousands of miles in the ocean to find better food sources.
  3. Deer move from cold mountain areas to warmer valleys during winter.

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Categories: Biology · migration· animals· seasons