Editor's note: This article Dallas Morning News coverage of the 2024 total solar eclipse.Learn more about dallasnews.com/eclipse.
Thousands of people flocked to the zoo on Monday, eager to experience a total solar eclipse that was home to more than 2,000 animals from 400 species.
Will there be nocturnal animals as well? Will chimpanzees and gorillas congregate or head to indoor habitats? Will the Dallas Zoo's bird collection begin its evening roost prematurely?
“These animals are in the wild, so you never know how they're going to react,” said Anne Knutson, avian animal control officer at the Dallas Zoo, in the hours leading up to the eclipse.
At Greg Hudson Giants in the Savannah area, zoo worker Brittany LaCour shared what zoologists reported over the radio during the totality period.
The gorillas and giraffes headed for the door leading to their indoor habitat. All the birds were quiet as they headed to their evening roosts where they usually rest for the night. Zebras and ostriches were herds of the same species. The okapi seemed to be looking up at the sun.
Zoo staff monitored the animals during the eclipse by standing on the roofs of nearby buildings and near their habitats.
Most of the animals had never experienced a solar eclipse before, said Lisa Van Slet, associate curator of mammals.
About 5,900 visitors had passed through the zoo's doors by 11:30 a.m., a high number for a normally quiet Monday. About 3,500 people purchased tickets to the Dallas Zoo ahead of Monday.
Among them was Roger Barboza, who vividly remembers the first time he observed the moon blocking the sun in his hometown of San Ramon, Costa Rica, in the early 1990s. More than 30 years later, he wanted to share what he called an “unforgettable experience” with his granddaughters.
Recalling how neighborhood chickens headed to the chicken coop just before totality, his family traveled to Dallas to observe the eclipse and see how more exotic animals react to it. I came to the zoo.
Like Barboza and his friends, other visitors stopped by the zoo after arriving from all over the country, including Germany, Japan, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico and Costa Rica, to experience the celestial spectacle.
“Some people may think this is normal, but this is unusual,” Barboza said. “You have to experience it at least once in your life.”
Cloudy skies and a poor weather forecast threatened to ruin any chance of viewing the eclipse, but by midday blue specks became visible and visibility improved as the clouds parted.
Cheers erupted from the crowd gathered around the habitat as the sky darkened completely. Tears streamed down the emotional faces of the people.
The children scribbled on handouts they received upon entering the zoo, encouraging them to note down their observations. “Please note the phase of the eclipse when making observations,” it said along the bottom.
“Our zoo's mission is to engage people and save wildlife,” said Kylie Meeker, the zoo's deputy director of education. “Engaging people in learning is how we care for animals.”
Clancy Ream, who was visiting the zoo from Florida, made plans for the day about a year ago.
Sharing the eclipse with the zoo animals made the experience even more special for her, far exceeding her expectations of how strongly she would react.
“I almost cried,” she said. “I couldn't have imagined anything so amazing. I got goosebumps.”
