Re: Homing Pigeons? Try Homing Crocodiles...

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

Guy Leahy writes: 

> Here is the original research article documenting
> homing instinct in Crocodylus porosus: 
>
> http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0000949 
>
> The authors note that evidence for homing behavior
> over shorter distances appears to exist for alligators
> and caimans, which suggests this capacity may be a
> general crocodilian characteristic, and not restricted
> to estuarine species.

It would be interesting to know whether crocodilians all once had this 
ability to a lesser extent and marine species improved it for longer 
journeys, or whether the long-distance abilities are ancestral and 
fresh-water species have partially lost it. Unless the physiological 
mechanism leaves marks on the skull that can fossilise, then I guess we'll 
never know for sure. 

Here's something else I found by accident. Apparently bats, naked mole rats 
and Siberian hamsters all have a 'magnetic sense' as well (assuming the 
crocs are using magnetism to navigate). 

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/mg19225815.400-bats-have-magnetic-s 
upersense-too.html 

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Dann Pigdon
GIS / Archaeologist              geo cities.com/dannsdinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia             heretichides.soffiles.com
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