Bats are very unique. They are completely blind and they use echolocation as their means to navigate everyday life. Imagine always being able to know which direction is north. You may have to orient yourself using street signs, mountains, or even the sun to orient yourself, but some animals have a natural internal compass. Birds, turtles, and bats are three of these unique animals that have the ability to use their internal adaptations to coordinate directions. Birds use electromagnetic fields to determine where north is, which in turn helps them to migrate and navigate Earth. Sea turtles also use these fields in order to navigate the ocean and find their original place of birth. Sea turtles are a species that always return to their birth place in order to mate and lay their own eggs. In addition, Bats use echolocation as well as electromagnetic fields to navigate at all times. Bats are completely blind so this is their only sense of sight (Palumbi, 2001). Since there can be human disruptions to these natural internal compasses, bats and birds developed a unique way of navigating using a mineral in their brain that is able to sense magnetic fields.
Human advancements have many unknown consequences for animals. One of these is its production of new magnetic fields. These magnetic fields disrupt Earth’s natural fields. Any form of technology supplies a magnetic field. In addition, a power supply or an AM/FM radio causes its own electromagnetic field. Even humans themselves release an electromagnetic field (Yong, 2014). This all disrupts an organism’s ability to decipher between the magnetic fields and orient themselves. While you may commonly use these magnetic fields, you may be unaware of how these devices can impact the world around us.
Sea turtles can feel Earth’s magnetic field and that’s how they orient themselves. Sea turtles can feel the magnetic properties of a beach and know whether or not it was their birthplace. This is a very important question because sea turtles will only lay eggs in the location of where they were born. Sea turtles are known to travel hundreds of miles back to their birthplace during mating season (Palumbi, 2001). Unfortunately for sea turtles, the development of various other magnetic fields confuses the sea turtles and disorients them. This prevents the sea turtles from reproducing which has greatly reduced the population.
Unlike the sea turtles, birds and bats have adapted to the increasing number of magnetic fields. For birds, the electromagnetic fields are used to orient themselves either north or south (Yong, 2014). This allows for successful migration. Migration is very important to the reproductive ability of birds. If birds don’t migrate, they will not reproduce. Similarly, bats use echolocation and magnetism to orient themselves. As they have no eyesight, bats completely rely on these two processes to move about. These two species heavily rely on the Earth’s magnetism and they’ve developed a way to decipher between the thousands of magnetic fields they may come across.
Inside the brain of these species, there is a small particle called magnetite. This particle is highly magnetic and is very sensitive to Earth’s magnetic field. The magnetism that the Earth gives off can be sensed by the magnetite particle and tell the bird or bat which direction is south (Holland, 2008). This is crucial to the survival and reproduction of both species. Magnetite serves as an internal compass and allows bats and birds to overcome mankind's increasingly technological advancements.
The direct interference humans have with the electromagnetic fields has disturbed the sea turtle, bat, and bird’s natural way of orientation. In nature, these animals either need to adapt to the environment we are creating, or their species may not survive. Currently, birds and bats have evolved the magnetite as a different way to navigate. This adaptation has developed because of the way humans have shaped the world to convenience themselves. While bats and birds were fit enough to survive the ever-changing landscapes, sadly, the sea turtles have not.
Human advancements have many unknown consequences for animals. One of these is its production of new magnetic fields. These magnetic fields disrupt Earth’s natural fields. Any form of technology supplies a magnetic field. In addition, a power supply or an AM/FM radio causes its own electromagnetic field. Even humans themselves release an electromagnetic field (Yong, 2014). This all disrupts an organism’s ability to decipher between the magnetic fields and orient themselves. While you may commonly use these magnetic fields, you may be unaware of how these devices can impact the world around us.
Sea turtles can feel Earth’s magnetic field and that’s how they orient themselves. Sea turtles can feel the magnetic properties of a beach and know whether or not it was their birthplace. This is a very important question because sea turtles will only lay eggs in the location of where they were born. Sea turtles are known to travel hundreds of miles back to their birthplace during mating season (Palumbi, 2001). Unfortunately for sea turtles, the development of various other magnetic fields confuses the sea turtles and disorients them. This prevents the sea turtles from reproducing which has greatly reduced the population.
Unlike the sea turtles, birds and bats have adapted to the increasing number of magnetic fields. For birds, the electromagnetic fields are used to orient themselves either north or south (Yong, 2014). This allows for successful migration. Migration is very important to the reproductive ability of birds. If birds don’t migrate, they will not reproduce. Similarly, bats use echolocation and magnetism to orient themselves. As they have no eyesight, bats completely rely on these two processes to move about. These two species heavily rely on the Earth’s magnetism and they’ve developed a way to decipher between the thousands of magnetic fields they may come across.
Inside the brain of these species, there is a small particle called magnetite. This particle is highly magnetic and is very sensitive to Earth’s magnetic field. The magnetism that the Earth gives off can be sensed by the magnetite particle and tell the bird or bat which direction is south (Holland, 2008). This is crucial to the survival and reproduction of both species. Magnetite serves as an internal compass and allows bats and birds to overcome mankind's increasingly technological advancements.
The direct interference humans have with the electromagnetic fields has disturbed the sea turtle, bat, and bird’s natural way of orientation. In nature, these animals either need to adapt to the environment we are creating, or their species may not survive. Currently, birds and bats have evolved the magnetite as a different way to navigate. This adaptation has developed because of the way humans have shaped the world to convenience themselves. While bats and birds were fit enough to survive the ever-changing landscapes, sadly, the sea turtles have not.