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Homing Abilities in Mice

*NOTE: Scientific AmeriKen does not endorse the unethical treatment of animals. To the knowledge of this website no mice were harmed during the experiment.

Purpose: The ability of Homing pigeons to return to the place whence they came has long intrigued science. Other animals are said to possess this trait coming from stories of dogs which travel thousands of miles to return 'home'. This week Scientific AmeriKen will investigate to see if common house mice possess this ability.

Hypothesis: Based on the limited mental capacities of mice, the hypothesis of this experiment is that the mice will become lost and will find new homes.


Equipment: Required for this experiment is several mice (may need mousetraps) and some way of marking the mice, used in this experiment was non-toxic orange acrylic paint.

Procedure: The first step was capturing mice. Once mice are caught, they are marked and released at a certain point away from original location. Traps should be left around the original location to capture returning mice. Map indicates relative locations.

Results:
 
Mice Released
Mice returned Home
5
0

Conclusion: As the hypothesis predicted, the mice did not return home. The hypothesis cannot be confirmed however, until the mice are known dead, a time period which is assumed to be the average lifespan of a common house mouse. However, the mice have been given roughly 4 months to return back of which none have. In their defense however, the orange paint used for marking them may have made them more suceptible to predetory attacks, and therefore may have hampered the results.


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