Because the Earth is 70 percent water and all the oceans are interconnected, it should come as no surprise that many of the longest migrations in the world are carried out by sea creatures. The most impressive migrations aren’t restricted to a particular group but run the gamut of fish, reptiles, and mammals found in the oceans. Here are the five longest marine creature migrations in the world.
North Pacific Grey Whale
Among mammals, the North Pacific grey whale holds the record for the longest migration. At a confirmed 12,400 miles round trip, its route is the longest of any marine creature migration. Their journey starts in the Bering Sea in October when the sea ice begins to build and ends in the Gulf of California (otherwise known as the Sea of Cortez). Their migration provides viewing opportunities both on and off shore in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Orca
Another mammal with a considerable marine creature migration is the orca. Unlike the usual motivations of food or mating, some groups off the coasts of Antarctica travel 6,200 miles to the tropics to shed their outer layer of skin in the safety of warmer waters.
Leatherback Turtle
Instead of the usual north-south migrations, the leatherback sea turtle in the Pacific travels east-west. Using a tracking device, a confirmed trip of 12,744 miles has been recorded for a female migrating from Indonesia to Oregon to lay her eggs in the sand. Unfortunately, researchers weren’t able to locate the turtle after it reached the halfway mark back to the East Indies.
Northern Elephant Seal
Following roughly the same route as the grey whale, the northern elephant seal racks up an estimated 13,000 miles. Keep in mind, though, that this marine creature migration takes place twice a year, so the seal travels approximately 6,500 miles each time.
Blue Marlin
Less is known about fish migrations but a tagged blue marlin has been recorded as migrating 9,254 miles from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Further research may discover longer journeys by this or other ocean fish.
