The most amazing story caught my eye over the weekend. The story tells of the incredible migration of the Arctic Tern. They can live for up to thirty years and their round trip migratory journeys each year log as many as 25,000 miles! Their travels from Antarctica to Greenland take twice as long as the return trip though the distance is three fourths as far. We’re talking 25,700 kilometers compared to 34,600 kilometers. The southbound trip is delayed by a month long stop-over in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean to refuel on the heavy marine life it relishes. It still takes them only 40 days to complete the one-way trip. Dr. Carsten Egevang, of the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, says, “This is a mind-boggling achievement for a bird that weighs just over 100 grams.” Iain Stenhouse of the National Audubon Society and Egevang’s co-author in the study of the Arctic Tern, says, “Over the course of its life, it is flying to the moon three times and back.” The battle of this journey is waged against cold, wind, storms, starvation, and predators.
The determination required to execute a trip like that should be an inspiration to all of us! My favorite quote has always been this one from Calvin Coolidge:
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination are omnipotent.
Now I have a picture in my mind to go with my quote. When the stresses and trials of the day seem overwhelming, I have my inspiration.
From livescience.com I discovered some other Incredible Animal Journeys:
The Humpback Whale travels 5,000 miles to its breeding grounds.
The Freshwater Eel swims from the Mid Atlantic to the UK and the USA.
The Monarch Butterfly migration tops the insect world @ 2500-3000 miles.
The Green Sea Turtle swims over 1000 miles from Brazil to the South Atlantic Ocean.
The Wildebeest, on a constant move, travels 1800 miles per year.
The Lemming, only 3-6 inches long, travels up to 10 miles per day across Arctic tundra.
The wood thrush (Hylocicla mustelina) songbird is a hero of mine. Bridget Stutchbury, a professor of biology at York University in Toronto, quoted in an article in LiveScience, tracked them at 300 miles per day. Their journey in the fall from North America to Brazil takes 43 days. The return trip in the spring takes only 13 days. “The songbirds have more incentive in the spring to chug back to North America where they compete for the best real estate for snagging the highest quality mates.” In the case of the wood thrush, “the early bird gets the mate.”
We should take these incredible examples from the animal world and have them “at the ready” when we feel discouraged by the trials and stresses of everyday life. These animals are all role models of inspiration. Pick your favorite. You will never have to worry about future disappointments due to scandal.
Inspiration For the Troubled World? The Arctic Tern is a Terrific Model of Determination!
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