Welfare of Wild Animals During Long-Distance Migration Stopovers

Migratory animals depend on stopover sites to rest and refuel during long journeys, and degradation of these sites creates welfare crises for billions of birds, insects, and mammals.

Key Facts

Shorebirds flying from Arctic breeding grounds to southern wintering areas depend on precise stopover sites for refueling
Delaware Bay horseshoe crab eggs support millions of red knot shorebirds during their northward migration
Yellow Sea coastal wetlands support over 50 million shorebirds annually but have lost 70% of intertidal habitat
Monarch butterflies use milkweed along their migration route — lost milkweed causes starvation during migration
Stopover habitat degradation can eliminate entire migratory populations by removing the refueling stops that make the journey feasible

Welfare Considerations

Migratory animals operate on the edge of energy balance — arriving at stopover sites severely depleted and needing to restore fat reserves quickly before continuing. When stopover habitats are degraded or lost, individual animals face starvation, cannot complete migration, or arrive at breeding grounds in body condition too poor for reproductive success. The welfare consequences of stopover habitat loss are experienced by every individual migrant who passes through. Protecting key stopover sites is one of the highest-leverage welfare interventions available for migratory species.

What You Can Do

Support protection of key migratory stopover sites including wetlands, coastal habitats, and grasslands
Donate to organizations planting milkweed corridors for monarch butterfly migration
Advocate for international agreements protecting transboundary migratory stopover habitats
Plant native species that support migratory insects and birds during stopover periods in your region