Sonic booms 'make crocodiles crave sex'

Each time Israeli warplanes break the sound barrier over a crocodile breeding farm in the Golan Heights, the randy reptiles begin emitting their ritual mating cry, according to the daily Maariv newspaper. The calls appeared to be a response to the sonic booms, which seemed to convince the crocodiles that other males had begun making mating signals, it was reported. David Golan, head of crocodile breeding at the Hamat Gader park, told the newspaper: 'The powerful squealing noises, reminiscent of the sound of a car braking, can be heard from hundreds of metres (yards) around.' There are around 100 crocodiles at the park, which is underneath airspace used by the Israeli air force for training runs. But a population boom is not expected, however, because the official mating season does not begin until the summer.