Crocodiles are probably the most helicopter-loving animals, even if they don't have a helicopter ride in their lives.
It's all out of physical affection.
For crocodiles, a group of military helicopters flying over is far more effective than playing crocodile films in public.
The sound of helicopters flying over plunges 3,000 crocodiles into a massive sexual
John Live, owner of the Kurana crocodile farm, noticed this unusual reflex.
Every time a large military helicopter passes by in the air, the male crocodiles of the farm collectively fall into a state of hypersexuality.
"All the big male crocodiles stood up and roared at the sky, and as soon as the helicopter left, they went on a rampage to mate." Lever described it in an interview.
The Kurana Crocodile Farm is located in Queensland, Australia, on the outskirts of the coastal city of Rockhampton, on a helicopter route to and from the Repulse Bay Military Training Area in the north.
The crocodiles here have the privilege of seeing helicopters more than any other crocodile of their kind.
"There was a Chinook helicopter flying low because the guys wanted to take some pictures of the crocodiles." "Sonic waves do have something to provoke a crocodile's sexual arousal. ”
Thanks to the helicopter's aphrodisiac effect, the farm's more than 3,000 crocodiles are likely to lay a large number of eggs this season for a bumper harvest, according to Lever.
Experts are not yet fully sure why the helicopter made the crocodile in heat, but some conjectures have been proposed.
Dr. Cameron Baker is a crocodile expert at Charles Darwin University.
Cameron argues that "crocodiles may have taken the helicopter sound as some kind of sexual innuendo, or as a mating signal to ensure that the colony lays eggs at the right time." ”
Military helicopter noise causes emotions in Australian crocodiles to mate
Mark O'Shea, a reptologist at the University of Wolverhampton, points out that "crocodile mating is often seasonal because they want to lay eggs at the optimal time. ”
Australian saltwater crocodiles usually start breeding during the rainy season.
In their natural habitat in northern Australia, thunderstorms are like a godsend, an aphrodisiac that can cheer up crocodiles, which is the survival wisdom inherited from their ancestors.
"Mating during the storm season means that when females lay their eggs a few weeks later, the weather tends to be less harsh, so their eggs are at a lower risk of drowning in floods." Mark added.
Considering that the incident took place in October and November, it is spring in Australia and is also the typical mating period for saltwater crocodiles.
It is also the rainy season, with thunderstorms often occurring in parts of Australia.
The powerful noise, vibration, and pressure changes caused by the movement of the propellers of a military helicopter as they approach are similar to those caused by thunder and storms.
All of these factors can cause male crocodiles to collectively misjudge that a storm is coming, and to take care of themselves to start reproducing the next generation.
Of course, there is another theory.
Male crocodiles may mistake the roar of a helicopter approaching for the sound of a competitor, i.e., the roar and tail flapping of other male crocodiles.
"When the helicopter approaches the water, it may emit a very low-frequency 'pop' sound, which happens to be similar to some of the sounds made by large male crocodiles, to assert dominance of the territory." Dr. Baker explained.
Hertologist Mark O'Shea believes that the sound from the helicopter is similar to the roar of a male crocodile when courting.
In short, this type of sound can easily stimulate a male crocodile to mate with the nearest female, preemptively acting and knocking competitors out of the game at the root.
The animal world has always been pure and cruel, everything is for survival and reproduction.
Whatever the cause of this mating frenzy, the next step for female crocodiles is to build nests for their eggs, using soil and decaying vegetation to build mounds and incubate dozens of eggs, which is also the hope of the continuation of the race.
The crocodiles still follow the laws of nature, even though they have been in a commercial crocodile farm for more than 40 years.