The ability to return home is a fundamental aspect of the natural world and is often crucial for animals' survival and reproductive success. Most animals show homing behaviors on a small scale, such as a daily journey back to a nest or burrow after foraging for food, whereas others undertake long journeys which can take months.

"Crocodilians, the largest predators in most tropical, subtropical freshwater and brackish environments, are a unique case when it comes to homing behavior," said behavioral ecologist and Adjunct Associate Professor Ru Somaweera, from Murdoch University.

"Crocodiles are remarkably good at finding their way home, often returning to their original capture sites and limiting the success of relocation programs. What we still don't fully understand, though, is how this behavior plays out in individuals that have been bred or kept in captivity for long periods before being released back into the wild."

The research team conducted a study in the Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh, one of the last strongholds for saltwater crocodiles in the country.

The paper, "What is home? Post-release movements of captive-reared and translocated mature saltwater crocodiles in Bangladesh," was published in the journal Wildlife Research.