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A report out of Australia claims that an all out mating frenzy was triggered when a low-flying military helicopter buzzed over a crocodile farm and caused all of the crocs to suddenly start going at it.
The report from ABC News Australia came from John Lever, owner of the Koorana Crocodile Farm, who claims this isn’t the first time a military helicopter in the area has triggered a sex frenzy.
He believes the low frequency emitted from the helicopters headed to the Shoalwater Bay Training Area mimics the deep bellow crocodilians display during mating season. Furthermore, he believes the similar low frequency emitted from the skies during thunderstorms also triggers the same erotic response from the crocs on his farm.
Connecting those two theories is another theory that the sound of ‘thunder’ from the helicopters tricks the crocs into thinking the wet season is on the way which means it is time to start mating season. Whatever the case may be, the low-flying helicopters keep triggering croc romps.
A recent appearance from a Chinook helicopter operated by the Singapore Armed Forces apparently triggered an all-out romp, according to ABC News.
“We had a big Chinook that came down low because the guys wanted to take some pictures of the crocodiles,” Mr Lever says. “They were hanging out the door … and of course, Chinooks have got a big thump, thump, thump, like that.” The ensuing debauch would have made Dionysus blush.
“All of the big males got up and roared and bellowed up at the sky, and then after the helicopters left they mated like mad,” Mr Lever says. “There’s something about the sonic waves that really gets them stirred up.”
Why The Sound Of Helicopters Triggers A Crocodile Mating Frenzy
Dr. Cameron Baker specializes “in the ecology, behavior, and social structure of the estuarine crocodile” and has a theory on why the helicopters trigger crocodile sex frenzies:
He says the cold-blooded lovers’ passionate reaction to thunderstorms seems logical enough, given the mating period generally coincides with the North Queensland wet season.
“They’re probably using it as a bit of a cue to say, ‘Hey the wet’s coming’ … and it’s a good time to start mating so the eggs are ready to be laid at just the right time,” Dr Baker says.
As someone who does not specialize in anything croc-related, I’m going to assume the good doctor knows what he’s talking about until proven otherwise.