Many animal species are accustomed to their daily routine, which is built in accordance with the cycle of day and night. This change of time of day tells them when they need to look for food, when they need to migrate and reproduce. Previously, it was believed that only the length of daylight hours could affect the behavior of animals. However, as it turned out, lunar activity also has a strong impact on their lives.
The synodic cycle - the period of the complete change of all lunar phases from new moon to new moon, which is approximately 29.5 days - leads to changes in the Earth's magnetic field, as well as in the level of illumination at night. Unlike humans, many animal species are capable of noticing and responding to these changes. The same massive spawning of corals coincides with a full moon or new moon. But what happens to animals when something unusual happens to the moon and sun, such as blackouts?
What happens to animals during a solar eclipse?
Among all astronomical phenomena, it is perhaps the solar eclipse that most often leads to unusual behavior among animals. Puzzled animals, accustomed to daytime activity, unexpectedly find themselves in "nocturnal" conditions, and animals that are accustomed to nocturnal lifestyle think that they have overslept and wake up abruptly. A solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth line up in such a way that the Moon blocks our star from the Earth. While all people are watching this very beautiful phenomenon, many animals around the world literally start to go crazy.
For example, some species of spiders begin to unravel their webs during a solar eclipse, as they usually do at the end of the day. As soon as the astronomical phenomenon is over, they, puzzled, begin to weave the web again. Many species of daytime fish and birds go to their sleeping places. And nocturnal species, the same bats, deceived by the unexpected darkness, wake up.
Observations show that hippos in Africa during a solar eclipse come out of the water and go to the places of night feeding. Halfway to their goal, the eclipse ends, and the poor animals don't know what to do. Being in such a stressful situation, they feel very bad for the rest of the day.
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How do animals behave during a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon hides in the shadow of the Earth and we do not see it completely (total lunar eclipse) or partially (partial).
During this phenomenon, the Earth is located on the line between the Moon and the Sun. The so-called "blood moons" occur only when the full disk of the moon is covered by the shadow of our planet. Scientists find it difficult to determine the difference in the influence of different types of lunar eclipses on animal behavior. But this influence is definitely there.
When observing the Azara monkeys - a typical nocturnal species - during lunar eclipses, it was noticed that they suddenly stop looking for food. Apparently, everything around them becomes so dark that they simply cannot see food or cannot safely navigate the trees.
A supermoon occurs about three times a year. It coincides with the full moon or new moon, as well as the moment of the closest approach of the moon and the earth. At this time, the Moon is 46,000 kilometers closer to our planet. Therefore, it seems larger in the sky.
With supermoons, light levels at night become 30 percent higher than at any other time in the lunar monthly cycle. Recent observations indicate that the same barnacle geese (a species of small geese) react sharply to these supermoons. Scientists have installed compact devices on birds that monitor their physiological state. It turned out that during a super moon, geese have an increase in heart rate and body temperature, although at night the picture is usually different. At the same time, birds do not react in any way to a supermoon if the moon is hidden behind clouds. It turns out that the bright light of the Earth's satellite makes them wake up and think that morning has already come.
How does the lunar cycle affect humans?
For centuries, people have been interested in the connection between the lunar cycles and their influence on humans. Many tales were dedicated to our interaction with her. You've probably heard stories about werewolves, haven't you? It was previously thought that lunar cycles could somehow lead to physiological changes in a person.
They tried to attribute the influence of the moon to literally everything. In the birth rate, epilepsy, the general psychological state of people's health. Some people still believe that the crime rate rises during the full moon.
However, studies prove that the behavior of the moon does not have any effect on humans.
Nikolay Khizhnyak