Loggerheads Can Learn a Place by Its Magnetic Signature
Juvenile loggerheads learned to distinguish simulated magnetic fields linked to feeding locations from fields where they were not fed.
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.