After studying various species earlier this month, some scientists now say they understand the origin of animal behavior during solar eclipses.
A coyote at the Fort Worth Zoo is photographed in the hours leading up to the April 8 total solar eclipse.In these challenging times, the need for reliable local reporting has never been greater. Put a value on the impact of our year-round coverage. Help us continue to highlight LA stories, hold the powerful accountable, and amplify community voices. Your support keeps our reporting free for all to use. Stand with us today.
That observation guided this month's study, which involved an array of species including bonobos, owls, coyotes and crocodiles. Hartstone-Rose says the data illuminated a nearly universal reaction across species — one that the team had noticed in 2017, but were able to confirm earlier this month: At the moment of totality, when the sky grew dark, animals began their regular evening routines as if nightfall had officially arrived. For nocturnal animals, this meant heightened activity.
Pierre Chastenay, a Canadian astronomer who helped lead a separate study of 12 species at Zoo de Granby in Quebec, Canada, echoed these findings. He was tasked with observing Japanese macaques, and recalled that at the moment of totality, they bowed their heads and prepared to go to sleep. A few minutes later, they became active again, and began foraging for food, grooming and chatting.
At Zoo de Granby, there were no cheers from visitors at all. The zoo was closed to the public that day, which is typical of weekdays in the off-season. Chastenay says during totality, the animals engaged in normal, instinctive evening behaviors with little interruption. Nocturnal animals were active, and diurnal animals were calm.
"Zoo animals actually have it pretty good compared to their wild brethren," he says."We should be aware of trying to reduce the stress in zoo animals, especially if they are habitually stressed. But allowing animals to become stressed on occasion is actually a very natural state for them."
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