Based on a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology on September 18, “jet lag” (the state of fatigue after long flights across different time zones) is not defined as sleep loss due to time zone differences. Instead, it describes a lack of ability to fully adapt to living conditions from the environment. This can have significant impacts on the health and behavior of endangered species, including giant pandas.
Like all animals, giant pandas have a biological clock that is regulated by signals from their environment. However, the study shows that problems arise when the signals they are exposed to in captivity do not match those in their natural habitat.
A panda raised at the Madrid Zoo, Spain. (Photo: REUTERS).
This new finding is quite significant in considering how to care for rare animal species that are kept in captivity, many of which are highly endangered in the wild.
Kristine Gandia, a PhD researcher at the University of Stirling in Scotland, told CNN: “Animals, including humans, have evolved at a pace to synchronize their internal environment with the external environment.”
“When the internal clock is not synchronized with external signals such as light and temperature, animals will face adverse effects. In humans, this can range from jet lag to metabolic issues and seasonal affective disorders,” Gandia stated.
Giant pandas were chosen as the study subjects partly because they live seasonally. Migration occurs in spring as pandas only eat certain species of bamboo and seek new shoots. Spring is also their mating season.
To conduct the study, Gandia’s team set up cameras to monitor 11 giant pandas across 6 different zoos. This method allowed the researchers to observe the pandas’ behavior 24 hours a day.
According to Gandia, factors such as frequent visits from zookeepers can also affect the biological clock of pandas. Additionally, the level of impact depends on the latitude of the environment where the pandas are kept, as this is a determining factor for the amount of light and temperature the animals receive.
“When giant pandas are kept at higher latitudes, it means they experience more severe seasons than they have evolved for, which alters their overall activity levels and leads to abnormal behaviors,” the research team noted.
