Zoo animals exhibited "erratic" reactions during total solar eclipse

Animals at a Texas zoo exhibited "erratic" reactions during the total solar eclipse.

Videos released by the San Antonio Zoo shows the animals' unusual behaviour as the eclipse hit on Tuesday.

Meerkats were seen running "erratically" through their cage while whooping cranes performed mating dances and flamingos bunched up together in a group.

The San Antonio Zoo said on the animals' behaviours: "Meerkats are highly social animals that stick together in groups called mobs, aiding in defense, foraging, and predator protection.

"Whooping cranes are renowned for their intricate dancing displays, often observed during courtship rituals to strengthen bonds and signal readiness for mating.

"This mesmerizing behavior serves as a form of communication between male and female cranes, enhancing their relationship and social cohesion.

"Flamingos form tight-knit social groups, known as colonies or flocks, where they bunch up together for various reasons.

"This clustering gives them a sense of safety in numbers, acting as a defense mechanism against predators by making it harder for threats to single out individual birds."

The zoo explained that some of those behaviours may be coincidental, but proved to be interesting scientifically.

The San Antonio Zoo added: "While it’s possible some of this behavior may have been coincidental, this certainly caused a difference in the typical day for all of us.

"Meerkats approaching and entering their indoor habitat space a few minutes before totality, which supported our working hypothesis that diurnal animals, meaning those awake during the day, would display their typical evening activity patterns during totality [of the eclipse]."