LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- In the lead up to the eclipse, we have focused on safety, what humans will see, and what this means to human history. But what about the animals?
Pets at home are likely not to notice unless they already react to darkness or light in strange ways. But what about exotic animals? THV11 put a call in to the Little Rock Zoo and asked them to put together a top five list of the animals they predicted would overreact to the sudden loss of light.
THV11 was met by acting Education Curator Katie Holloway who took us on a quick expedition. Here’s what she showed THV11.
Number one on the list is the barn owl. It could spread its wings and get ready for some nocturnal feeding, even though it’s usually asleep in the early afternoon.
Number two is the three ringed armadillo. Armadillos can jump three to four feet vertically and it’s likely to happen.
The sloth came in at number three. It could get hungry and go on a feeding frenzy, but not a digestive frenzy. Sloths take up to 30 days to digest food.
Ranking number four is the elephant. This is the one that will make the most noise. The elephants at the Little Rock Zoo trumpet whenever anything is out of the ordinary, and they’re expected to sound their alarms Monday.
Number five is the chimpanzee. They overreact to the slightest little thing and they’re expected to go bananas.
On Monday the zoo will send volunteers all over the zoo to take pictures of these five and more to record the impact of the moon’s great cover-up. The eclipse may just be more dramatic at our zoo than anywhere else.