02/05/2024
Did you know? Now you do!
Can a solar eclipse affect animals?
Pets:
According to Liz Aguilar, a Ph.D. student in biology in Indiana University’s Evolution, Ecology and Behavior program, yes. Unlike those of us who use clocks to tell time and can just turn on the lights when it gets dark outside, animals can’t alter their environment. They take their behavioral cues from nature, so the darkening sky and cooler temperatures during a solar eclipse can signal that it’s nighttime even if the event occurs in the middle of the day.
The environmental changes from an eclipse can influence pet behavior. Dogs who get anxious during storms may associate the sudden loss of sunlight with adverse weather.