How did Sauropods protect themselves against lightning

[Count Iblis]

These huge animals must have been very vulnerable to being hit by lightning. Also, I think that in the Jurassic the climate was warmer and there were more thunderstorms.

 

[jim mcnamara]

This gives you an idea of the number of lightning hits per hectare per year
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn1657

Note that large parts of the land receive very little lightning. Note Central Africa has the highest frequency of lightning hits.

Sauropod dinosaurs made a living eating leaves from higher branches of trees, analagous to giraffes today. Tress that were/are taller than the animals themselves. Giraffes occur in the area of the map that has extreme lightning frequency.

I would suggest that whatever behavior giraffes exhibit during a lightning event is adaptive. Consider using that as a model for guessing the behavior of sauropods.

 

[oswaler]

Sauropods, being some of the largest animals to have ever lived, did indeed face a potential risk of being struck by lightning due to their size and height. However, there is no definitive evidence to suggest that they had any specific adaptations to protect themselves against lightning strikes.

One theory is that their large size and the fact that they lived in herds may have actually worked in their favor as a form of protection. The likelihood of an individual being struck by lightning would have been relatively low compared to smaller animals living in the same environment.

Another possible explanation is that sauropods, like many large animals today, may have avoided open areas during storms and sought shelter in dense vegetation or under trees. These natural structures would have provided some protection against lightning strikes.

It is also important to note that the frequency and intensity of thunderstorms in the Jurassic period is still a topic of debate among scientists. While some studies suggest that the climate was indeed warmer and more prone to thunderstorms, others propose a more temperate and stable climate. Without a clear understanding of the weather patterns in the Jurassic, it is difficult to determine the exact level of risk sauropods faced from lightning strikes.

Overall, while sauropods may have been vulnerable to lightning strikes, they likely employed a combination of strategies, such as living in herds and seeking shelter during storms, to minimize this risk. Further research and evidence may provide a better understanding of the potential impact of lightning on these magnificent creatures.