Circle Snake
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Illustration by Lisa Gardiner

Sea snakes search for home!
News story originally written on October 4, 2002

Plans to move sea snakes from one place to another might not work because some snakes have a natural wish to go home!

The sea snakes live in the shallow water next to islands in the Pacific Ocean. People have been fishing for the snakes too much and now there are no more next to some islands. To solve this, some snakes will be moved from places where there are many snakes to places where there are none.

But the snakes might not want to move! Scientists say that certain types of sea snakes have a natural urge to always go home and they are able to find their way over long distances.

Other animals can find their way over long distances too, such as crocodiles, sea turtles, whales and homing pigeons. Some avoid getting lost by remembering the landmarks they pass. Others might use the stars or the Earth’s magnetic field to point them in the right direction.


Last modified October 9, 2002 by Lisa Gardiner.

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