Which animal travels the most kilometers? The most extraordinary journeys in the animal kingdom

A butterfly that travels from Canada to Mexico to overwinter and reproduce, a whale that holds the record for its species with a 22,500-kilometer journey across the oceans, or the Arctic tern, a bird that spoilerIt boasts the longest migration in the animal kingdom. Now that spring is beginning and many species are setting off, we'll tell you about the main migratory routes of the planet's fauna. The highways of wildlife.

Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus

• Population: Millions, the species shows a hopeful recovery after years of decline.

• Distance: 4,800 km.

• Route:

• September-October: The supergeneration emerges from Canada and the northern US.
• November-March: They arrive in Mexico and the southern United States to spend the winter and reproduce.
• March-April: Return migration to the north.
• April: Halfway there, in the center of the United States, they lay their eggs and die.
• April-May: Their descendants continue the journey north.
• May-September: Several generations feed and reproduce in the north before starting the cycle again.

Eastern Pacific Gray Whale

Eschrichtius robustus

• Population: NOAA estimated about 13,500 individuals in 2025, although this is the lowest figure since the 1970s.

• Distance: About 16,000-22,000 km (round trip).

• Route:

• May-September: They feed in the cold, food-rich waters of the Arctic.
• September-October: They march south and travel at about 8 km/h.
• December: They arrive in Baja California (Mexico).
• December-March: Breeding season in the warm waters of the south.
• February-April: Migration back to the Arctic region.

Atlantic Leatherback Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

• Population: About 30,000 in the Atlantic (listed as endangered, although at a lower level than in other parts of the world).

• Distance: 10,000 to 12,000 km.

• Route:

• March-July: Nesting in Brazil, the Caribbean, and West Africa. They mate at sea, and the females begin laying eggs on the coast in May. They spend 10 days at sea between egg-laying.
• July: The baby turtles hatch from their eggs and venture into the sea.
• August-September: Migration northwards, to the east coast of the USA, Canada or Europe, to feed.

Nyu of the Serengeti

Bullfighting connochettes

• Population: Approximately 1.5 million.

• Distance: Up to 1000 km on an annual circuit.

• Route:

• January-March: They appear in the southern plains of the park.
• May-July: Heading north in search of water and fresh pastures.
• August-October: Crossing the Mara River and staying in Kenya.
• October-November: Return to the southern Serengeti.

Big-headed Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

• Population: 84,000.

• Distance: About 18,000 km.

• Route:

• Dec-Apr: Food in polar regions.
• April-June: Migration to equatorial regions to reproduce in warmer waters.
• July-September: Breeding season on the coasts of Colombia, Brazil, Gabon, Somalia or Australia.
• October-November; Return to cold waters to feed.

Arctic Tern

Sterna paradisaea

• Population: More than 2 million.

• Distance: 80,000-90,000 km (round trip)

• Route:

• May-August: Breeding season in the Arctic during the boreal summer, when there are almost 24 hours of sunlight.
• August-November: Migration south on S-shaped routes.
• November-February: In Antarctica during the austral summer to spend the winter seeking the maximum number of hours of daylight.
• February-May: Return migration to the north.

Infographic on the ARA Domingo paper