Not all scientists will be looking to the sky during Monday's solar eclipse. Ethologists from several zoos across the aisle will be observing the reactions of creatures large and small to the sudden and unexpected darkness.
The study is an extension of observations from the most recent total solar eclipse in the United States in 2017. On this day, normally sedentary turtles started going into heat, frantic giraffes ran around aimlessly, and siamante gibbons suddenly began a raucous chorus of screams and chirps.
“Most of what we observed at the time was related to what we call the circadian response, so to speak, to nighttime behavior, but we also saw a lot of anxiety-related behavior. ” said biology professor Adam Hartstone Rose. He will lead a team of researchers and volunteer observers at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas on Monday.
“Obviously, as animals head to bed, they think it's evening. But the anxiety is a little more mysterious, and we don't know what's causing it. Maybe they're thinking there's some kind of imbalance going on. My dogs have big appetites, and if it suddenly gets dark, they worry that we've forgotten to eat, so that's what's going on in their minds. Maybe it's going through your head.
“The most likely reason is that the strangest animals we observed in 2017 were humans behaving crazy, and perhaps the animals are reacting to the frenzy humans display. I think so.”
“The only way to know is to collect as much information as possible, repeat it, find the species, preferably in a quiet place, perhaps in the wild, and observe its behavior.”
Hartstone-Rose said much of the data will be collected by about 30 high school volunteers who will travel from Vancouver, Canada, to Texas.
“I have been training them for several months. They will be our core animal observers,” he said.
The research team plans to observe many of the species observed seven years ago when a solar eclipse passed over the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina. It was published in a 2020 paper co-authored for .
In addition to the amorous gopher tortoises, other recordings included a male gorilla charging into a glass enclosure, flamingos in unusually close quarters, and parakeets that started chirping loudly and swooping down en masse, a rare display of synchronized behavior. he said.
He said “animals that we thought might do something interesting” were also observed Monday, including bonobos at the Fort Worth Zoo.
“They are our closest relatives, along with chimpanzees, and they are strange, fascinating and very cool apes. Bonobos also have sexual responses to tensions in their groups. Homosexual acts. “It relieves tension in all kinds of sexual activities, including sexual activity,” Heartstone-Rose said.
Fort Worth is one of several zoos hosting special eclipse events and encouraging the public to help with animal research. Those include the Little Rock Zoo in Arkansas; Toledo Zoo and Aquarium, Ohio. and the Indianapolis Zoo in Indiana.
Hartstone-Rose said the observation was more than just entertainment. “First of all, it's important for zoos to understand what activities, what events cause anxiety in animals, and we always try to alleviate that,” he said.
“Pet owners are always concerned about whether their animals are feeling anxious, so it's valuable to understand whether this is really what the eclipse causes in animals.
“But the main reason it's important is because this is a fundamental curiosity in humans. Anyone who owns a dog has probably wondered at least weekly what their animal is thinking. Cats are even more mysterious, so it's interesting to think about, especially when it comes to a powerful and surprisingly emotional experience like a solar eclipse.
“In this moment, on this particular day, we all have this common experience. There is something beautiful in it, and sharing it with our animal brethren makes it even more beautiful.” It will increase.”
