Many animals migrate. In general, they travel for feeding or breeding purposes. For instance, in late autumn, flocks of Canadian geese fly from the chilly north to more temperate southern climates.
Whales are another type of animal that migrates long distances, heading toward the colder poles in the summer and toward the tropical waters of the equator in the winter. This allows whales to take advantage of abundant food in colder waters in the summer. Then, when food productivity lowers, they migrate to warmer waters and give birth to their calves there.
Adult female sea turtles, when they are ready to lay their eggs, return to the same beach where they were born, often journeying hundreds of miles to get there.
How do the animals find their way? In their recent book, Nature's Compass: The Mystery of Animal Navigation, scientists James and Carol Gould write that in these acts of long-distance navigation, animals "are performing feats far beyond anything humans can manage without specialized instruments, equipment, and training." Their research findings showed that some animals navigate via instinct and others through learning and experience. Other recent research indicates that some animals utilize the position of the sun and stars as well as Earth's magnetic fields to determine their routes.