Page 44 - The Miracle of Migration in Animals

THE MIRACLE OF MIGRATION IN ANIMALS

Birds’ Expertise in Estimating Altitude
and Weather Forecast

Migrating animals must accurately predict the atmospheric con-
ditions in the lands through which they pass. Australia’s bogong
moth is a good example of the meteorological expertise that this re-
quires. These moths make a journey of hundreds of kilometers to the
cool Australian Alps to escape the humidity of the plains they inhabit
as caterpillars.
In spring, the bogong caterpillars feed in the grassy pastures of
Queensland and New South Wales. When the weather grows warmer
in summer, they pupate and emerge as little grayish-black moths.
Instead of bearing the scorching summer heat, they start out on a long
journey for the Australian Alps, where millions of these long-distance
travelers spend the summer, congregating in
rock crevices and caves and flying out only
in the evening. Once they reach the moun-
tains, they spend the summer there in a
state of suspended animation, making
use of the fat reserves they accumulated
when they were caterpillars to stay alive. 9

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