Lecture: Animal Migration

In this lecture, we'll examine how migrating animals navigate over vast distances. Some birds travel more than ten thousand kilometers between their breeding and feeding grounds. Researchers have identified several mechanisms that appear to guide these journeys. Many species use the position of the sun during the day and the stars at night. There is also strong evidence that certain animals can detect the Earth's magnetic field. Sea turtles, for instance, seem to return to the very beaches where they hatched. However, artificial lighting and climate change are increasingly disrupting these patterns. Understanding migration is therefore essential for designing effective conservation policies.