Get plugged into nature: be part of an animal migration

I often wonder how much the circle of life is moving me. When thousands of years of human evolution and time on this planet are controlling me via instinct, and when I’m acting entirely of my own accord. Several years ago I was lucky enough to watch the first few moments in the lives of a family of baby turtles. Buried in the sand they hatched from their eggs and without eating or drinking or being shown what to do they dug their way out into the air above and skittered, as fast as their tiny, newly hatched flippers would carry them, towards the ocean. Even if they feel the air or hear the ocean from inside their eggs, they’ve never experienced those things before, so it’s baby turtle instinct which must dictate to them what to do. In that moonlit moment I thought baby turtle instinct must be one of the most powerful forces in nature, but that’s really just the tip of the animal iceberg. It was like being plugged in to nature.

Instinct is clearly not to be reckoned with. Birds manage to embark on epic journeys twice a year and reach the same destinations, salmon fight their way upstream to spawn in the creeks they hatched in, and herds of wildebeest rumble in great packs across the Serengeti. We can’t always understand why these creatures face these challenges, but we can appreciate that it’s something pretty powerful, and witnessing one of these epic animal migrations will give you a sense of being part of something vast and painstakingly slow and ancient, yet also of the potential for renewal. Better for your soul than refreshing at a spa!

So which are the epic migrations worth planning your own cycle around? The Serengeti wildebeest migration is the best known – thousands of wildebeest tracking miles of dust into the air, predators awaiting them at every ridge - and can be seen from a safari truck or helicopter. Whales are amazing creatures, but along the route of their breeding migration they’re at their most playful and social as they mate, calve and greet their new calves - go out amongst it in boat. Greys and Humpbacks especially so.

Quieter migrations are no less magical, and in the case of the Monarch butterfly migration, only more incredible, as a whole landscape is covered in softly beating wings. The great sardine migration, turns the waters off South Africa’s east coast into a bed of churning silver as their slivery bodies press together so tightly to seem like some kind of sea monster rather than a billion strong shoal and the huge, red land crabs of Christmas Island are like a brightly sparing carpet at the height of the breeding season. Bird migrations take place all over the globe, but there is a particularly popular breeding ground on the Isle of Lesbos.

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	The Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Wildlife in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania The Great Serengeti Wildebeest Migration is one of the world's most spectacular wildlife events. Often referred to as 'The Greatest Show on Earth' the Serengati Wildebeest Migration is the largest movement of herds on the planet; the site is simply breathtaking. Take the Migration out of the Serengeti however and in my view you still have the finest park in Africa. What is unique about this pitch is the location in the Serengeti and the time of year - late July/August opens up the far North of the park, away from all the crowds. The area is called the Lamai Wedge and hardly anyone knows about it! Late July/August is peak season as the wildebeest migration runs directly through the area. However a good 30% of the migration will be in the Lamai Wedge for July/August/Sept/Oct. This is still a good time of year to go. To be honest the whole year is fantastic up there (apart from April and May rains) because there are no people which is very rare in the Serengeti/Masai Mara! But the wildebeest migration months are when it is at its best. Review by Julian Carter-Manning Photo by flickr user BrianScott
	The Great Sardine Migration Wildlife in Kwazulu, South Africa Though not as large in size as the wildebeests whose journey across the Serengeti has become known as 'The Great Migration', the annual passage of billions of sardines up South Africa’s east coast is almost as spectacular. As well as the shimmering shoals of sardines, which look like exotic, fluidly moving sea monsters, a crowd of hungry onlookers gather. Several varieties of ocean birds, around 23,000 dolphins and thousands of sharks and other fishy predators come from miles around to follow the shoal, so viewers can see the whole circle of life enacted in front of them. This is also a huge occasion for fishing, and nets are used to herd the sardines towards the shore where they are caught or else beach themselves. Visitors are encouraged to bring a bucket in case they can enjoy a free meal as well as a unique spectacle. You can also arrange to snorkel amongst the shoal. The sardines leave their home near the Aghulas Banks due to cold water currents that effect the area during June and July, then head north toward Mozambique. Review by World Reviewer Staff Photo by flickr user anniebanannie2006
	Monarch Migration in Mexico Wildlife in Mexico Set aside a day for this experience, as you hike up into the mountains of Michoacán to find the forest filled with orange and black butterflies. Trees turn into living organisms as the branches give way to millions of these delicate creatures and the air feels electric with the hum of millions of wings beating frantically. A good tour guide is key to finding these butterflies during their migration and only 2 of the 7 butterfly sites, El Rosario and Chincua, are open to the public. Tours can last up to 12 hours but it is worth the time and effort to see these living jewels dance through the air. The migration season starts in mid November and comes to an end in March. Review by Graeme Harwood Photo by flickr user James Jordan
	Turtle Islands Park, Sabah Wildlife in Sandakan, Malaysia Slow and graceful Hawksbill and Green Turtles return to these idyllic, shallow watered, tropical islands each year to nest and lay their eggs along the same beaches where they first hatched at least ten years ago. Some of the turtles who nest on the islands have been tracked and travel hundreds and some thousands of kilometres across the oceans to find the right beach year after year. The tracking devices on their shells make them look like strange part robot creatures. Visitors are only allowed on the main island, and in the evening must wait (swatting mosquitoes) in a large covered area to be collected by the turtle monitors who take you to the turtles, already in the process of laying their eggs. The turtles patiently drag themselves out of the water and up the beach, seeming not to see the onlookers with their torches and hushed excitement, and heading for a spot they somehow recognise. Once the mother turtles have gone the monitors dig up the eggs and move them to a fenced off sandy nesting area where they are re-buried. Visitors then (if lucky) will get to see hatchlings (from an earlier mother) as they scramble out of the nesting area. Baby turtles are caught and given a health check before their journey. Visitors are able to hold a hatchling and give them a kiss on the shell for luck before setting them on the beach and watching them race for the ocean and the beginning of their long journeys (you‘re also encouraged to whisper some words of good luck and name your turtle. I named mine after my cat, Kitten, who is particularly feisty - so there is hopefully a Hawksbill Turtle out there called Kitten.). There is limited accommodation on the islands so it’s important to book in advance, you will also be sharing with a small army of bugs. The best times to visit are between July and October, but I went in early February and still saw both an egg laying and a hatching and got to hold both a newly laid turtle egg (they’re softer than you anticipate) and my brave, tiny hatchling. Review by Kat Mackintosh Photo by flickr user MattKK
	Vava'u for the Humpback Migration Whale Watching in Tonga Tonga is one of the best places in the South Pacific for seeing the Humpback migration because it is the end lagoons and bays they stay in in the Vava’u Islands. Legally you can go out in boats to see the whales but you have to remain a certain distance from them, swimmers are allowed to approach up to 30 metres. Young whales will often approach people and boats so you may be able to get even closer. If you don’t believe in whale watching from boat you can do it from shore, one of the best sights is on the cliffs of the Vava’us. Review by Amy Gennings Photo by flickr user fearlessRich
	Fishing the Fraser River Fishing in British Columbia, Canada Great river for salmon, trout and sturgeon, the Fraser River has many offshoots and smaller tributaries to fish. On the salmon migration path millions of salmon pass though these waters from May onwards. You'll see Pink salmon, King salmon, Coho salmon and Sockeye salmon if not more during the migration. There are some big trout in the Fraser, especially the sea run varieties like the rainbows and the steelheads, but further up river you'll still see them up to 14-15 pounds. The best sea run trout fishing is between December and May, but by March some of the sea run bull trout are starting to move upstream. The Fraser has one of the world's largest sturgeon populations, they're best fished for in spring when they're feeding at their most active and easier to bait. This is pretty wilderness country as well. To fly fish, angle or what ever takes your fancy. Review by mrsfish Photo by flickr user pentacube
	Christmas Island Islands in Christmas Island With a shape like a Scottie dog, Christmas Island lies in the Indian Ocean some 2,600km northwest of Perth, Western Australia. An Australian Territory, its nearest neighbour is Java, Indonesia about 360km away. Christmas Island has 63% (over 85 sq. km.) of its area declared as national park and holds many species of endemic flora & fauna! From a birding perspective the island is home to a number of endemic species and sub-species including probably one of the most beautiful birds in the world known here as Golden Bosunbird. This race of White-tailed Tropicbird is found only on the island and fortunately is visible everywhere. Red-tailed Tropicbird or Silver Bosun to give its local name is also here and can be seen from the gardens of a favourite café on the north shore. Particularly important from a seabird perspective, as indeed are most islands around the world, Christmas Island is the only home of the unique and endangered Abbott's Booby, which nests in the tall emergent trees of the western and southern plateau rainforest. This forest is the only remaining nesting habitat of the surreal Abbott's Booby in the world. Christmas Island is also home to an endemic frigatebird – Christmas Island Frigatebird now nests in only three small and discrete areas on the island and is deserving of its endangered status! Great Frigatebird is here too, in good numbers while Lesser Frigatebird may be seen occasionally and has recently been found breeding here. Red-footed Booby and Brown Booby complete the avian booby triumvirate to match the frigatebird trio, while land birds include Linchi Swiftlet, Christmas Island Imperial Pigeon, Emerald Dove, Christmas Island Hawk-Owl, Variable (or Christmas Island) Goshawk, Christmas Island White-eye and Island Thrush. All are island endemics or sub-specific endemics. White-breasted Waterhen is a recent colonist from Southeast Asia and the island is a veritable twitchers’ paradise with a growing number of avian vagrant visitors each year. Notable amongst other endemic life is the Red Crab with over 100 million of these vivid red creatures living on the island’s forest floor amongst the leaf litter. It is the most abundant of the land crabs, though massive numbers are only visible in November / December when the spectacular migration to lay eggs and breed takes place. Christmas Island displays tremendous diversity in the crab department with over 21 species including huge Robber Crabs, elegant Blue Crabs and many others easily seen scurrying about on forest and shoreline walks. Surrounded by coral reef, this remnant volcanic island’s 80-kilometre coastline boasts magnificent cliffs and sheltered bays. Evidence of volcanic origins can be seen at The Dales and Dolly Beach where the basalt rock is exposed, forming the beds of freshwater streams. With virtually no coastal shelf the sea plummets to a depth of about 500 metres within 200 metres of the shore. Atop the cliffs lies the island plateau; reaching a height of 361 metres, it is dominated by stands of rainforest that sit on mainly limestone and layers of volcanic rock. This is where the Red Crabs spend the majority of their lives, migrating to the ocean shores to breed and release eggs into the sea in one of the greatest wildlife spectacles known. Breeding is usually synchronized island wide and is seemingly linked to the phases of the moon. The eggs are released into the sea at the turn of the high tide during the last quarter of the moon after the onset of the wet season. It’s fortunate there are so many of them as introduced Yellow Crazy Ants are wreaking havoc amongst the population. Studies show the ant has displaced an estimated 15-20 million crabs by occupying their burrows, killing and eating resident crabs, using their burrows as nest sites and just being generally downright nasty! Work continues on the Yellow Crazy Ant issue. Christmas Island has a tropical equatorial climate with wet and dry seasons. The wet season is from December to April when the island comes under the influence of the northwest monsoons. During the rest of the year, the southeast trade winds bring slightly lower temperatures and humidity with much less rain. Tropical cyclones occasionally pass close to the island during the monsoon season, bringing strong winds, rain and rough seas and the prospect of some excellent avian visitors. The mean annual rainfall is 1,930 millimetres with most of this falling between November and May while February and March are usually the wettest months. Review by Alan McBride Photo by flickr user angela7dreams
	Grey Whale Migration off the San Diego Coast Whale Watching in West Coast, United States The annual migration of around 25,000 Gray Whales passes along San Diego’s coastline between Baja and the Arctic Sea at distances of only around six miles off the coastline between December and March. Gray Whales are quite stately swimmers and travelling in pods of up to a dozen you can expect to see them surfacing rhythmically as they pass which is quite a graceful sight. This population in the North Pacific are the only surviving group of Grey Whales who have the longest migration of any whale species. There are several points along the coast known to be good for viewing the procession or charter boat or tour options. Review by terry.fielding Photo by flickr user james.

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