Slashdot Mirror
Crocodiles With Frickin' Magnets Attached to Their Heads
Brickwall writes "Florida, faced with a problem of crocodiles returning to residential neighborhoods after being relocated elsewhere, is trying to solve it by affixing magnets to the crocs' heads. The theory is the crocodiles use the Earth's magnetic field for navigation, and the magnets may interfere with that. What I'd like to know is, whose job is it to put the magnets on?" So far the magnet program appears to be working, unfortunately the crocs have started to collect huge amounts of take-out menus and child artwork.
Please read and understand the summary before asking stupid questions.
Why not just shoot them?
Because the objective is to relocate them, not to kill them.
Also, fuck you.
I can't imagine the croc being very happy about being dizzy all the time.
They use the magnetic field for navigation, not balance. Crocodiles don't even have a sense of balance as we know it, what with having no internal ears and all.
More over how does this stop them from wondering in to town?
If they can't find the town, they can't exactly wander through it, now can they?
It seems that it was only used while transporting the crocs to disorient them so that they cannot find their way back.
Yeah, crocodiles, in Florida. From the article:
/. comment requires a wikipedia reference: American Crocodile:
"...there is a remnant population of less than 1200 in Florida, United States"
State biologists are studying the temporary use of magnets to disrupt the internal navigation of federally and state-protected American crocodiles, which have been spotted most often in neighborhoods of Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
And because every good
"why not just shoot them?"
Because most people don't like handbags with bullet holes in them. Same goes for wallets.
As for belts, it's hard to get the holes consistently in the right places.
There are no Crocodiles in Florida, except in zoo's or animal parks. There are plenty of Alligators however.
These are American crocodiles.
And yes, there are plenty of alligators in Florida—which is why they aren't endangered.
The American crocodile is endangered, however, which is pointed out in article that you didn't read.
Why not shoot the people of Florida? I can't imagine people being happy about living in crowded, polluted cities all the time. The population is way too big and alligators, unlike humans, doesn't destroy the environment or to drive other species to extinction. Not to mention that they were there first.
I was asking why not to shoot them, not saying that they should be shot.
Frankly, you're an idiot and someone should shoot YOU. And, it's "wander", not "wonder", you brainless twit. :-)
Also, fuck you.
I don't use harddrives. I just use crocodiles with magnets stuck to their heads.
(I'll get my coat.)
"Three eyes are better than one" -- Lieutenant Columbo
That there is nothing you cannot solve with some judicious use of duct tape.
Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side and a dark side and it holds the universe together
I am not stubborn. I am right!
The primary threat to this animal comes from habitat loss.
it should read- The primary threat to this animal comes from the human race.
for the record: i am not any leftie, granola eatin, moonbeam hugging retard.
however, this cavalier attitude towards destroying life because it is inconvenient is just maddening to me.
"You can kill the revolutionary, but you can't kill the revolution."-- Fred Hampton
First, this has nothing to do with natural selection.
Actually you even show a clear ignorance for natural selection because you want to kill the ones that actually adapt and have become better hunters and can thus provide more food.
I.e. the basis for evolution under the 'natural selection' (I'm kinda keeping it simple)
Without wanting to start a pro/contra hunting argument, it is kinda like saying you are helping nature by going hunting.
Uhm, no. What you are doing is simply cutting down the healthy ones and leaving the rest.
While naturally speaking you should be hunting the sick, weak and old (like their natural predators do).
But then which hunter wants to eat that meat?
Second this is not only an issue with Crocs but with many more animals. Or should I say it is less of an animal then of a human issue.
Unlike humans, animals still need to hunt for their food and are not particularly picky when they find something they can eat.
And the easier they can get to it, the better.
This is where we come in.
* trash:
It might seem like trash for us but anything edible you throw away will probably attract animals.
Note, this does not exclude trash that is not thrown into the bin but can basically include anything we drop or store like bread crumbs or our basement food stock.
* habitat:
Rodents like mice, rats or cockroaches are typically problems in our habitats, among others to the above-mentioned trash issue.
But you might think, hey these are only mice, we were talking about Crocs, you would have to remember that there are animals out there that hunt these, f.i. snakes.
In addition to that our habitats are also warm/cool and protect us from the weather.
And if they protect us, they also protect animals.
Plus our other technological advances attract animals a well.
F.i. Tar roads that can heat up quite nicely are ideal places for reptiles.
Some animals love our hoses and wire isolation.
* pets:
Even our own pets are viable food sources to hunters and our domestication can cause them to lose their natural suspicion.
And maybe that log they are sniffing is not really a log.
* animal habitat reduction:
As humanity increases in size we stupidly also increase our habitat size in crazy proportions and thus reduce that of the animals.
This makes it easier for animals to enter our habitats.
Kinda like if you compare the distance between towns 100 years ago to now. Back then the habitat spheres were far from each other. Today these spheres are much closer, touch or even overlap.
Plus the amount of crocs might also be forcing the crocs to hunt in larger areas.
But it would probably be more of the former then the latter.
Humans are not interesting as a food source for most of the animal kingdom.
To big, tough meat, hard to catch and dangerous.
Nearly all accidents of animals attacking humans was because the humans were playing around in areas they should not be.
More humans die in Africa due to Hippoes then to Crocs.
More humans die in Australia to Jellyfish then to sharks.
Here are the catchy one-liners from this thread alone:
Someone should keep a list of memorable quotes in Slashdot. :-)
You forgot to end with "Also, fuck you."
I hate printers.
Can we adopt the:
4) Also, fuck you
as our new group meme?
Great, now not only can crocodiles kill YOU, now they can kill your hard drive too!
As a native Floridian I'd rather have them on your beach than in my pool.
Technically it was the crocodile's beach first. Perhaps we should consider strapping magnets to the heads of surfers and relocating them to your pool instead.
I'll bear that in mind when I steal your laptop. How long do I need to keep it before it's mine?
What if Tetris was invented by Nazis?
As a LIFE LONG Florida resident who's tired of being disturbed by all the noise pollution generated by your jet skis and ski boats I'm cheering for the crocs.
Also, your immediate environment? Your environment is land sonny boy; you don't have gills, you don't have fins, no tail, can't hold your breath more than a few minutes. This is why we had to invent snorkels, SCUBA and why you have to wear a life vest on your water craft. See, the water is the crocs environment and trespassers may be eaten.
Okay, here we go:
1) Attach magnets to alligators
2) ???
3) Profit!!!
4) Also, fuck you
not sure if having sex with a handbag is a persuasive enough argument to keep those crocs out of trouble.
for(b=(a=0)+1;;b+=(a+=b))print(a+"\n"+b+"\n");