- Describe a solar eclipse. Include a labeled diagram.
A solar eclipse is an astronomical event in which due to the Earth’s orbit around the Sun, and the Moon’s orbit around the Earth the Sun and Moon will line up. The Moon will be in front of the Sun, covering the sun’s light and casting a shadow across the Earth.
2. Describe the path of the solar eclipse – 04-08-2024
3. Identify & describe the animal you will be observing during the solar eclipse
The animal that I was observing were the Painted African Dogs. Originally native to Africa, these wild dogs hunt in packs up to 20 and are very closely knit family. At the Fort Worth Zoo, they have four males, and I chose to observe the current alpha of the pack, Marcus. Marcus is easily distinguishable by the triangle cut out of his ear.
4. Record your baseline observational data while at the Zoo on April 7th
When I observed the dogs they were mostly laying down to the side in the shade, cuddled up altogether. Later on the began to play with each other, but otherwise didn’t do anything very notable.
5. Record your predictions as to how the animals behaviour will change
I predicted that the African Painted dogs would be most active before totality and after totality, because they are normally crepuscular. Crepuscular means that they are most active at dusk and dawn, which is why I thought they would be most active at that time.
6. Record your observations (and pictures) during the event at the Zoo on April 8th
All the information above was all the notes that I recorded during the Solar Eclipse.
7. Summarize your results. What did you observe & learn? What are your conclusions?
For most of the eclipse, before, and after, the African Painted Dogs were mostly stagnant in movement. They did not move very much and were laying down together in a group, they also twitched their ears and tails almost consistently, whether it be from human noise or simply from the impeding eclipse I wasn’t sure. My conclusion was that the African Painted Dogs didn’t particularly care about the eclipse. I think that because they have been in human captivity for such a long time their natural instincts to hunt have dulled as well as other survival instincts which is why that they did not move very much during the eclipse.