One of the 'salties' at the Khurana crocodile farm, where reptiles are bred for their meat and skins. Photo: ABC
Researchers have discovered that the thunderous sound produced by the rotor blades of military helicopters provokes a sexual frenzy among saltwater crocodiles in Australia.
< p>It is believed that for crocodiles, the sonorous knock of choppers sounds either like the mating roar of rival males, prompting them to rush to mate with females, or resembles a clap of thunder, which signals the onset of the rainy season and breeding time.
An unusual phenomenon was observed on crocodile farm in Queensland, where the reptiles are bred for their meat and skins.
Kurana Crocodile Farm, near the coastal town of Rockhampton, is on a route used by helicopters heading to and from the huge Shoalwater Bay military training area in the north .
Reptile farm owners have noticed that whenever large military helicopters such as Chinooks arrive, the male crocodiles go into a frenzy in what has been described as a massive «swamp romp.»
Koorana, run by John Lever and his wife Lillian, is Queensland's first commercial crocodile farm. Photo: John Lever/ABC
John Lever, the farm's owner, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: «We had a big Chinook that went down low because the guys wanted to take pictures of the crocodiles.
“They were hanging out the door… and of course the Chinooks have this big knock-knock-knock sound.” All the big males stood up, roared and roared into the sky, and then, after the helicopters flew away, they mated like crazy.»
In the natural habitat of saltwater crocodiles in northern Australia, thunderstorms act as an «aphrodisiac» — » it really excites them,” Mr. Lever said.
The noise and vibration emitted by a powerful military helicopter can cause signs that the crocodiles have sensed an approaching storm.
Large “salty crocodiles,” as saltwater crocodiles are nicknamed in Australia, usually begin breeding during the wet season.
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'All the large males stood up, roared and roared into the sky' in response to helicopters, Mr. Lever said. Photo: ABC
«They're probably using this as a sort of signal to say, 'Hey, wetness is coming!'… and it's a good time to start mating so the eggs are ready to be laid at the right time,» Dr. Cameron Baker said. , a crocodile expert at Charles Darwin University.
Male crocodiles may also mistake the noise of an approaching helicopter for the sound normally made by a rival male, prompting them to mate with a nearby female to eliminate competitors.
«When it hits the water, it can make a very low-frequency 'thunk-thunk' sound,» Dr Baker told ABC. «It may be coincidentally similar to some of the sounds that large male crocodiles make when they say, 'Hey, this is my territory.'»
Khurana is Queensland's first commercial crocodile farm, opening more than 40 years ago. The farm was originally stocked with aggressive problem crocodiles that Mr Lever and his wife caught in the wild.
The farm offers tours for visitors and also has a restaurant serving crocodile burgers, crocodile kebabs, crocodile pies and even spicy crocodile dishes. noodle soup.
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