Arctic Terns’ Pole-to-Pole Adventure
The Arctic tern stands undefeated in the animal kingdom’s distance competition. From pole to pole, they soar, covering 71,000 kilometers yearly. Small but fierce, these birds zip past continents, snacking on fish as they chase endless summer. The sun never sets on their journey. Researchers found one tern that flew more than 96,000 kilometers in a year, shattering the previous migration record. They slash through storms over the Atlantic, ride weather systems down the African coast, and then shoot across the Indian Ocean to reach Antarctica.