Loggerheads Can Learn a Place by Its Magnetic Signature

In the feeding-linked field, juvenile loggerheads did more “turtle dance,” a food-seeking behavior, even when no food was present.

Juvenile loggerheads still distinguished feeding-linked magnetic fields four months later, after no exposure to either field in between.

Oscillating radiofrequency magnetic fields did not disrupt loggerheads’ learned responses to feeding-location magnetic cues.

In a separate test, radiofrequency fields disrupted magnetic-compass direction-finding, suggesting map and compass may use different sensing mechanisms.