Scientists and zookeepers on Monday observed giraffes, gorillas, lions, macaws and flamingos displaying unusual behavior during this period. total solar eclipse.
Because total solar eclipses occur so rarely, researchers don't know much about how they affect animals. They surveyed animals Monday at several zoos located along the path of the total solar eclipse. fort worth zoo In Texas. Animals at the Fort Worth Zoo were generally calm, but some, including gorillas, lions and lemurs, showed signs of increased alertness and curiosity.
“Most importantly, we observed no signs of increased anxiety or nervous behavior,” a Fort Worth Zoo spokesperson said. “And by the time totality had passed, things were back to normal almost immediately!”
Several animals at the Fort Worth Zoo made their way toward the barn doors, where they would go for the night, as the sky darkened during the eclipse, a zoo spokesperson said. The Aldabra tortoise, giraffe, elephant, kudu, bonobo, coati, and gorilla all headed to the barn.
At the zoo, we were also able to observe the unique daytime behavior of nocturnal animals. At the Fort Worth Zoo, the wasabi cat and two owl species showed increased daytime activity.
In Texas, zookeepers at the Dallas Zoo saw giraffes and zebras running around during the eclipse. While the chimpanzees patrolled the perimeter of the zoo's habitat, all but one of the bachelor groups of gorillas headed to the door where they entered and exited at night.
An ostrich at the Dallas Zoo laid an egg during a solar eclipse. All the other birds got louder before they were all gone, and then went quiet. There were flamingos and penguins.
Birds at the Indianapolis Zoo also exhibited unique behavior, a zoo spokesperson said. Macaws, budgerigars and other birds become quiet and roost in high places, and this is a nocturnal behavior.
Dr. Robert Shoemake, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoo, said in a video recorded during the totality, “You can hear them go completely silent. You can't hear them peep. There's no movement,” he said.
The flamingos at the zoo were also huddled together and quiet. Cheetahs and warthogs exhibited behavior typically seen in the evening. During the eclipse, a cheetah roamed the highest point of the grassy garden and a warthog waited at the back gate.
At the Philadelphia Zoo, which was not in the path of the total solar eclipse, visitors observed animals during the partial solar eclipse. CBS Philadelphia report. Visitors could register with zoo staff, choose which animals to observe, and use their mobile phones to track their behavior before, during, and after the eclipse. Most of the zoo's animals seemed unfazed by the partial solar eclipse.
Researchers also studied zoo animals during the 2017 solar eclipse. In a study published in 2020, researchers said they examined the behavior of 17 species, including mammals, birds and reptiles, at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina, during the solar eclipse. They said about 75% of species showed some change in response to the eclipse. They mainly exhibited behaviors normally seen in the evening or at night, and some animals showed signs of anxiety.
Zookeepers and researchers in the United States will never again have the opportunity to conduct this type of research during a total solar eclipse. 2044, the next time a total solar eclipse occurs in the continental United States. According to the Planetary Society, only three states will be in orbit for a total solar eclipse on August 23, 2044.