Granby Zoo in Estrie, Que., recently seized the opportunity presented by the April 8 solar eclipse to conduct a study on animal behaviour. Partnering with the Universite du Quebec a Montreal, the zoo’s research and conservation department observed and documented the activities of various animals over three research periods: (i) two days in the week leading up the eclipse; (ii) between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on the day of the event; and (iii) another two days in the week following the eclipse.

“What we can take from it is that definitely luminosity does have an effect on animals and whatever data we find, the conclusions we can take from the species at the zoo can probably be extrapolated to wildlife species as well,” Chelsey Paquette, the zoo’s conservation coordinator, said in conversation with Global News. “It’s a rare event, so to collect data during a rare event to better understand how luminosity in the presence of the sun can influence animals is quite unique.”

The study noted a few key findings. For instance, the Japanese macaques surprised researchers by remaining calm during the eclipse.

“We expected them to be agitated and to group together and want to go to the nighttime habitats for example,” Paquette explained. “But during the totality of the eclipse, it was almost like they stopped vocalizing, they stopped all their movements and they just turned their backs to the sun and were just Zen and calm.”

Similarly, the usually vocal, red-crowned cranes fell silent during totality, while the Himalayan black bears continued their slumber undisturbed, unaffected by the eclipse.

“We thought they would probably move towards their nighttime habitat when the sun was completely covered, it was pretty much like nighttime,” Paquette said. “But the bears just continued to sleep throughout the afternoon, and they didn’t really seem to be influenced by the solar eclipse.”

The study also noted significant changes in the behaviour of the Tahrs, ungulates related to goats and sheep, who typically spend afternoons resting and can often be found lying down. During the eclipse, all Tahrs in the zoo stood up and became more active—a stark departure from their usual routine.

Further, the study noted a stronger reaction among prey species. More observed findings will be presented in a published paper.