Some eclispe study & results

[Guest guest]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/22/content_11754282.htm

 

Zoo animals baffled by solar eclipse

www.chinaview.cn <http://www.chinaview.cn/index.htm> *2009-07-22 20:06:26*

 

HANGZHOU, July 22 (Xinhua) -- When thousands of people thronged

outdoors for the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, animals at

the zoo in east China's Hangzhou City also reacted, quickly and confusedly.

 

Two Indian elephants, each at five tonnes, seemed to know nothing that

solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the earth and the sun

blocking the sun rays. When the sun became invisible at about 9:35 a.m., the

elephants dropped the grass on their trunks and returned to their dorms

without hesitation.

 

Three giraffe gathered at a corner when darkness fell. They stood still

and looked around. Two minutes later, two giraffes returned to their homes

while another stayed outside, still wondering about the phenomenon.

 

Monkeys became the noisiest group at the zoo. The monkeys who usually

frolic on mountain retreated to their caves. Two lemurs could not stop

crying in the caves as they did at night.

 

The shadow of the moon disoriented birds whose body clock and direction

depend on the sun. Red-crowned cranes and flamingoes that had been wandering

or drinking water suddenly fell asleep during the brief blackout of eclipse.

But when the sun rays came out again several minutes later, the birds

emerged from their cages and started the life of another " day. "

 

The solar eclipse was a first for most of the animals at the zoo. Birds

and elephants are more sensitive to sun rays and showed more of a reaction

than tigers, lions, leopard and pandas, said Jiang Zhi, a zookeeper.

 

But as the eclipse did not last long, all the animals at the zoo quickly

resumed their normal lives, he said.

Editor: Li Xianzhi

 

 

*http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200907221721.htm*

*

*

*When birds stopped chirping and tigers slept*

 

New Delhi (IANS): Lions and tigers retired to sleep, deer stood still, birds

suddenly stopped chirping while young animals rushed back to their shelters

- no this is not a scene from " The Jungle Book " , but unusual behaviour shown

by animals during the total solar eclipse Wednesday morning.

 

These changes in behaviour in animals and birds were recorded by experts at

the Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh during the celestial

spectacle.

 

" It is for the first time in the country that a step has been initiated to

study animal behaviour during a solar eclipse. And much to our amazement,

many animals behaved unusually - some got very dull while some were

hyper-active as the sky darkened Wednesday morning, " S.S. Rajput, director

of the Van Vihar National Park, told IANS over telephone from Bhopal.

 

The national park had formed 23 teams to study various animals and birds

during the period of solar eclipse.

 

" Our experts found that the tigers, lions and panthers retired to sleep as

the sun was completely obscured by the moon. They became very dull while

some nocturnal animals like bears got hyper-active, " said Rajput.

 

Herbivorous animals like deer and sambar also behaved strangely.

 

" Herbivorous animals, who generally graze separately during the day,

suddenly came together in a herd and stood stationary during the eclipse.

Even the birds that were chirping since dawn suddenly quietened between 6.20

and 6.30 a.m., " Rajput observed.

 

Except peacocks and lapwings, all other birds were silent throughout the

totality phase.

 

" We found the behaviour of young animals most unusual as they usually set

out of their night shelters early morning and return only at night. But

during the total eclipse all of them came running back and hid inside their

shelters, " he said.

 

According to Rajput, the body clock of animals and birds is generally

regulated by sunrise and sunset and they were bound to show some reaction

during the eclipse.

 

The experts, including zoo keepers, studied the animals for seven days July

15-21 during a fixed time to know their normal day-to-day behaviour.

 

" We studied their behaviour during the same timings Wednesday and analysed

the behavioural changes before and during the eclipse. We are yet to compile

a detailed data but surely animals react to such changes, " said Rajput.

 

The national park is spread across 1,100 acres and houses several species of

animals.

 

Explaining the importance of the study, Rajput said: " The study will provide

us data about how animals react to such natural phenomenon and its harmful

impact, if any, on them besides the rise in anxiety levels and curiosity. "

 

According to him, none of the animals had any intuition about the eclipse,

which is not the case during a tsunami or an earthquake.

 

" We found no changes in the behaviour of animals prior to the eclipse and

they were normal before the astronomical event, " he said.

 

--

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui