Panda Diplomats: Captive Giant Pandas Face Surprising Jet Lag Effect, Study Reveals
Captivity may disrupt the natural body clock of giant pandas, leading to a potential case of jet lag, according to a study Scientists suggest that if the pandas' internal clocks are not synchronized with their environment, it could adversely affect their well-being
Join CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter and delve into the mysteries of the cosmos with intriguing revelations, breakthrough scientific findings, and much more. Scientists reveal that captive giant pandas might experience a form of "jet lag" when their internal clocks are out of sync with their surroundings.
A new study, published Monday in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, suggests that this could greatly affect the well-being and behavior of endangered species. According to the study, pandas, like all animals, have an internal body clock known as a circadian clock, which operates on approximately 24-hour cycles and is influenced by environmental cues. However, issues arise when the cues in captivity differ from those in their natural habitat, as the study discovered.
The welfare of animals in captivity, especially those at a high risk of extinction in the wild like giant pandas, makes this significantly important. Lead study author Kristine Gandia, a PhD student at the University of Stirling in Scotland, stated, "Animals, including humans, have developed rhythms to align their internal and external environments."
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"When animals' internal clocks are not synchronized with external cues such as light and temperature, they can experience various adverse effects. In the case of humans, these effects can range from experiencing jet lag to encountering metabolic issues and seasonal affective disorder," stated Gandia.
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Gandia and a team of observers set out to understand how the "jet lag" of living in latitudes that animals did not evolve in can affect them.
"This concept is applicable to all captive animals," Gandia stated to CNN.
Giant pandas were specifically selected as the study's focal point due to their highly seasonal lifestyles. They migrate during the spring in search of new shoots of a specific bamboo species, which is their primary food source. Additionally, spring is also their mating season.
According to Gandia, the captivity of pandas provided an excellent opportunity for studying them. She stated that pandas are an ideal species to study due to their popularity in zoos and the availability of panda cams, which allow researchers to observe how their behavior varies across various latitudes.
The cameras provided scientists with the ability to observe the behavior of the pandas for a full day. Additionally, the presence of zookeepers during regular visits may also have an impact on the animals' circadian rhythms.
According to Gandia, giant pandas inhabit latitudes ranging from 26 to 42 degrees north. She further suggested that latitudes within the range of 26 to 42 degrees south can be considered as they replicate similar temperature and lighting conditions.
A group of 13 observers, headed by Gandia, closely examined 11 captive-born giant pandas across six undisclosed zoos. These zoos were strategically located, with some situated within the pandas' natural habitat latitudes in China, while others were located outside this range. Over the course of a year, the observers diligently studied the pandas on a monthly basis, recording their behaviors and documenting any changes.
Gandia stated in an email to CNN that they extensively documented various behaviors exhibited by giant pandas, including both positive and negative indicators of welfare. Positive behaviors such as play, grooming, and sexual-related behaviors were recorded, while drinking and urinating/defecating were considered neutral maintenance behaviors. Additionally, several abnormal/stereotypic behaviors were identified as negative indicators, with pacing being the most prevalent. Furthermore, it was observed that daylight and temperature played significant roles as cues for the pandas.
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Gandia clarified the comparison to jetlag in an interview with CNN. He explained that jetlag is typically associated with the difficulty of sleeping at appropriate times when rapidly traveling across time zones. However, in the case of pandas, jetlag refers to their potential struggle in fully adapting to environmental conditions and cues in latitudes where they have not evolved to live. This lack of adaptation could potentially lead to the desynchronization of internal clocks and behaviors.
In captivity, the pandas exhibited three activity peaks within a 24-hour period, one of which occurred at night, mirroring their natural habitat. Adult pandas only engaged in sexual behavior during the daytime, which may be a favorable time for finding mates in the wild.
Gandia explained that giant pandas housed in higher latitudes, where they experience more extreme seasons than they are adapted to, exhibit reduced activity levels and abnormal behavior.
