Animal experts share how solar eclipse can affect pets and wildlife
WACO, Texas (FOX 44) — Monday marks two weeks until the Total Solar Eclipse.
As we prepare for four minutes of total darkness we wanted to know where it leaves pets and animals.
Cameron Park Zoo staff say they're going to do research to see how the animals react.
"Are our animals going to show behaviors that are different on a typical day during an eclipse? Are they going to think that night time is approaching right around the middle of the day? Are they going to be caught off guard, surprised? Will there be any stress or anxiety related to it," asked Cameron Park Zoo Director Brendan Wiley.
Wiley says he's interested to see how the elephants, tortoises, and birds will react.
"Darkness during the day tends to affect birds most, and what is commonly reported is just this silence and you don't realize how much bird noise makes up your day until it's gone," said Wiley.
The zoo will be open on April 8 so visitors can watch the animals during the eclipse and record their findings.
"We're hoping that they'll share that with us so we can put all that behavior into a combined database for further reference," said Wiley.
Beyond animals at the zoo, the Humane Society of Central Texas wants pet owners to be proactive.
"We recommend to pet parents all over to kind of treat it as they would fireworks, making sure that their pets are inside during the eclipse so that no one, in their fear or panic, may try to escape backyards and become loose and stray into the communities," said Humane Society community relations director Brooke Farell.
Cameron Park Zoo will have a comic con event on April 6 & 7.
They'll also have a locked zoo event Saturday night, April 6.
The Central Texas Humane Society will also hold a shelter sleepover the same weekend.