How animal navigators crisscross the globe

Dog-Tired but Doggone Amazing

IT was 1914, and Private James Brown had been called up to fight for his country. He’d be heading into the trenches of World War I as part of the 1st North Staffordshire Regiment. In September of that year he said goodbye to his wife and dog, Prince, and left County Cork, Ireland, for France.

His wife, meanwhile, went to London with the dog to await her husband’s return. The dog seemed heartbroken and appeared to desperately miss his master. Mrs. Brown didn’t know what to do. And then Prince disappeared. She searched and searched, trying to find the dog, but to no avail. She feared he’d been killed in some kind of accident.

Though it pained her to do so, Mrs. Brown eventually wrote to her husband to tell him the sad news of the dog’s disappearance and probable death. But the very next day she received a letter from her husband — their correspondence had crossed in the mail. Prince was with him in France, having turned up about two weeks after disappearing!

Private Brown had been returning to his quarters near Armentières when a friend from his battalion called out, “I’ve got your dog here, Jimmy!” Brown was sure the man was joking, but as soon as he saw the dog, he knew it was real. Prince had somehow found his way to his owner in France.

The news spread rapidly (because everyone loves a good story!), and Private Brown was ordered to march with Prince in front of his commanding officer. The army unit ended up adopting Prince as a mascot, and he remained in France throughout the war. He was even given a khaki jacket and an ID tag. He was beloved by all the men, entertaining them with tricks.

To this day, no one knows how the dog made the extraordinary journey from London to France — a distance of some 500 miles. But the half-Irish Terrier, half-Collie had somehow done it in two weeks. Some believed he walked parts of it and also probably hitchhiked in vehicles and stowed away on boats. (A dog in my neighborhood used to hitch a ride on the garbage truck each morning — no joke! I wouldn’t have believed it unless I saw it myself.) How Prince knew where to go and how to find his owner is a true mystery. Maybe he followed his nose?

Prince’s story is truly remarkable, which is why it’s still remembered so many years later. But when we learn about the thousands of species that migrate each year, we discover that the niflaos haBorei are truly limitless. Because as much as we know about migration, we still don’t understand it completely, and the methods many animals use to migrate can be as mysterious as Prince’s trip.

So, come, follow the flock (or the herd)….

Taking Wing… or Fin… or Hoof

Every year, millions of animals take off on incredible journeys over thousands of miles to find food, lay eggs, or live in better conditions. These include the smallest creatures (insects) and some of the most massive mammals (whales).