Eclipse’s Overlooked Impact: How Animals and Farmers Brace for the Celestial Event

Angela Green-Miller, a professor at the University of Illinois with expertise in animal behavior, animal systems, and welfare, highlights the peripheral effects of the eclipse that can be more consequential for animals than the event itself.The increase in traffic from eclipse watchers poses significant challenges for farmers and animal managers, according to Green-Miller. With the eclipse lasting only about four minutes, the ancillary impacts, such as traffic congestion, can last for hours. Drawing from her experience of a prolonged journey due to traffic during the last total solar eclipse, Green-Miller advises farmers to plan ahead, particularly in managing feed deliveries and animal transport to mitigate potential welfare concerns.Animals, too, are expected to exhibit unusual behaviors during the eclipse, reacting as if to sunset or an approaching storm. Green-Miller suggests ensuring that livestock and pets have access to shelter to cope with any confusion or distress caused by the event.Adding to the conversation, Brent Pease, an assistant professor in the forestry department at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, reflects on historical observations of animal behavior during eclipses. “Birds generally become quiet, nocturnal insects vocalize, and bees retreat to their hives,” he notes, emphasizing the change in wildlife activity patterns.