By Austin Price, Editor in Chief
As a pet owner and animal lover, I can certainly say that I notice a significant difference in the behavior of my pet ferrets when we were experiencing a full moon. After months of tracking this behavior of heightened craziness during the full moon, I started to wonder why the position of the moon impacted my ferrets here on Earth. And so, like any good journalist, I did some research.
When a full moon occurs, it is in what is typically considered its most striking phase. This is because during the phase of the full moon, the most sunlight reflects off the Moon toward Earth. Because of the intense glare of the moon, during and around the night of the full moon, other celestial objects such as stars and planets are more difficult to observe. According to Astronomy Magazine, “though a Full Moon only occurs during the exact moment when Earth, Moon, and Sun form a perfect alignment, to our eyes, the Moon seems Full for around three days,”.
This natural phenomenon affects both animals and humans. Healthline reports the full moon can lead to less deep sleep and a delay in entering REM sleep. In addition, some studies have shown a slight change in cardiovascular conditions during a full moon. While the physical effects of the full moon are encountered by many, the full moon is said to also impact one’s mental health.
Many report an increase in mood swings and imbalance in their mentality upon the arrival of a full moon. While these reports are more associated with mainstream people who do not have a clear diagnosis of mental illness, there is no absolute proof supporting a change in mental stability of healthy individuals during a full moon. Individuals that have bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety often find themselves more scattered and upset during full moons. Despite these reports, no official studies have shown an increase in hospital admissions due to mental health during the full moon. Medical News Today writes “People anecdotally report that the full moon affects their mood, but the existing research does not support this claim. An older 1985 meta-analysis found no connection between phases of the moon and mental health admissions to hospitals,”.
While there is no scientific evidence supporting the connection between mental health and the full moon for humans, animals are a different story.
Countless films and stories have been teaching the narrative that wolves, among other animals, howl at the moon. While this is false, wolves do not howl at the moon but rather howl as a social rally call, a hail to hunt or as a territorial expression, typically heard at night, it is true that the full moon has a significant effect on a variety of animals.
A lot of animals impacted by the full moon inhabits the ocean. According to The Weather Network, animals including oysters, coral reefs and sharks demonstrate changes in their behavior during a full moon. Oysters narrow their shells as a full moon draws near and widens their shells as the full moon diminishes. Coral reefs go on a spawning spree. Their proximity to the full moon causes them to synchronize the largest release of egg and sperm on Earth. Sharks tend to stay in deep water during a full moon and move to shallow water during a new moon, due to the availability of light.
Other predators, such as lions, are impacted by a full moon in terms of their relationship with humans. The Weather Network reports that “lions often struggle to catch animal prey during moon-lit nights, likely because other animals can see them coming. To compensate, they may turn to human prey as soon as low light resumes,”. Essentially, humans are easy prey because they are not as aware of hungry lions in the bright moonlight.
While wild animals have clear reactions to the full moon, household pets and domesticated animals also have significant responses to the full moon. A 10-year study involving nearly 12,000 cases of dogs and cats treated at the Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences' Medical Center found the risk of medical emergencies is 28% greater for dogs and 23% greater for cats in the days surrounding a full moon. Reasoning for these increased vet visits surround outdoor playtime during the full moon. Scientists believe that pet behavior becomes more precarious during a full moon but suggested that it could simply result from pets spending more time outside at night when the moon is brighter.
In short, the full moon causes enhanced levels of activity for animals because of the bright reflection and extended periods of light. Evenings of heightened playtime and craziness are not uncommon when the moon is brighter. Animals are simply excited by the extra light and change in routine regarding their environment.