Three Australian crocodiles have shown their love of home comforts by traveling hundreds of kilometers after being relocated.
With saltwater crocodiles a common fixture of many Australian beaches and rivers, local authorities tend to relocate the animals to more remote locations, reports the BBC's man down under, Phil Mercer.
However, three crocodiles relocated from northern Queensland showed a remarkable determination to return home, with their attached tracking devices revealing they swam between ten and 20 kilometers a day back to their natural habitat.
A study by the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia Zoo and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) found that one of the crocodiles swam around the northern tip of Australia on its return home, covering over 400 kilometers in the 20 days after its initial relocation.
UQ's Professor Craig Franklin commented: "We often thought crocodiles tired very quickly, but here we show very clearly that they are capable of moving long distances for days on end."
He added that the tracking devices - which were attached to the back of the crocodiles' heads and relayed information via satellite - showed avian behavior.
"Crocodiles are more closely related to birds than they are any other reptile, so they are possibly using navigation systems similar to birds," he said.
