How will the total solar eclipse affect animals?
Scientists say that some animals may exhibit strange behaviors during the total solar eclipse that will take place on April 8. Researchers, who have placed zoos under observation, have also asked the public to take note of their pets' behaviors.
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Scientists have stated that some animals may exhibit unusual behaviors due to the total solar eclipse taking place next month.
Based on observations made in zoos, researchers have asked people to observe the behaviors of their pets.
During the last solar eclipse seen in the US in 2017, flamingos circled their young to protect them, giraffes began running in their enclosures, and flocks of birds stopped flying and landed in trees.
According to a report in Independent Türkçe, scientist Andrew Farnsworth from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology said, "Animals don't know what to do during an eclipse because celestial events are not something their bodies can adapt to."
Farnsworth also added, "Eclipses are not common, but they are not rare either. Humans can plan for eclipses, but it would be unexpected for animals with short lifespans to be able to observe them."
Allison O'Neill, who observed the behavior of nearby goats during the 2017 eclipse, stated that the goats became quiet and moved into a resting position. O'Neill said, "The goats' behavior was very remarkable. We stopped watching the eclipse and turned our attention to them because they were acting very deliberately and suddenly. They started making noise again after the eclipse ended."
Adam Hartson-Rose from North Carolina State University made observations at the Riverbanks Zoo during the 2017 eclipse. Hartson-Rose said, "Initially, I thought this was nonsense and that the animals would not be affected in any way. However, when the zoo was plunged into darkness, the behavior of all the animals changed, except for the bears. The bears, on the other hand, looked completely confused."
Hartson-Rose stated that all zoos across the US should be examined during this eclipse.
It was stated that the total solar eclipse occurring on April 8 will be observable from parts of Mexico, the US, and Canada, and will last for 4 minutes and 28 seconds, but will not be visible from Turkey.