It’s time for the 2016 Solar Eclipse!
Here in Cairns, it will start at 10:12am and go through til 12:15pm. The midpoint will be at 11:12am.
It’s a bit cloudy in Cairns this morning but hopefully we’ll still be able to see some of the action!
How does the solar eclipse affect animals?
Wildlife rely on a day/night cycle in order to function correctly, and the sudden darkness can trick animals into switching their behaviour to their night time behaviour.
Diurnal animals (animals that are awake during the day) might get confused and go to sleep, due to the sudden onset of ‘night’. Birds might stop singing and try to find a higher perch for safety.
Nocturnal animals (e.g. animals that are awake at night) might also change their behaviour. Crickets are known to start chirping, mosquitoes could come out to feed, and predators such as owls wake up and venture out of the nest. Other birds instinctively return to roost when the eclipse starts, only to pull a U-turn when it ends. Oops!
Flashback – Solar Eclipse 2012
Back in 2012, there was another solar eclipse and we thought it would be a great opportunity for a party! We had plenty of people come to check out the eclipse from our rooftop, including Sunrise’s Grant Denyer.
It was also a very special day for our very own Michael Woodward, whoproposed to Darlene … she said yes!
