For centuries, human beings have looked towards the natural world in search of specific weather patterns, besides internal changes in the physiology. Among such indicators, specific species of animals have been credited with the ability to predict thunderstorms. Although, today meteorology is based on advanced technologies, there are still deserting furry meteorologists that are of interest to scientists and nature lovers as well. In this article, we will examine the animals that are known for their ability to effectively predict storms with specific attention to the cattle that have been regarded as one of the most accurate storm predicting animals.

The Cow: Nature’s Device to Forecast The Weather

Historical Considerations

In somewhat all the remote societies across the world, predictably the Weather has depended greatly on the Cattle, more specifically the cow. It is a common folklore that has been passed on from one generation to the next that, cows do lie down once it is about to rain. Is there any credibility on this weather forecasting uses of cows?

Scientific Evidence

Studies conducted in recent times began to corroborate the plausibility of this age-old wisdom. For instance, it was noted that cows would lie down more often the closer the rain, including thunderstorms, became. There are a number of explanations as to why such behavior may be.

Sensing Changes in Air Pressure: Cows could feel the changing air pressure that generally occurs shortly before a storm. Laying down could be a means of alleviating the discomfort caused by such changes in air pressure.

Keeping Warm: Cows may lay down in order to keep warm as the temperature of air begins to drop with the approach of a storm.

Biological Shelter Seeking: Other scholars argued that cows remain posed to avoid the grazing grounds to remain dry after the rain.

Dairy Loss Avoidance: Cows hate turbulence. Ruminations done in a horizontal position cuts down the time spent in ruminating. This is done more so, before a cyclone, to have increased stomach fill.

Case Studies

In the United Kingdom, a study conducted in 2013 actually tracked a herd of dairy cows for several months. They discovered a strong relationship between the cow’s lying posture and the impending rain. They did, however, remedy that this behavior is not always reliable as it could depend on ambient temperature, time of day and other external factors.

Limitations and Controversies

While many farmers remain firm on the cow being able to predict various storms, the critics argue that it is because a bull spends the most of its time lying regardless of prevailing weather conditions that makes it easy to tell whether storm related or storm normal activities are taking place.

Other Animal Harbingers of Thunderstorms

Cows are not the only animals that are used as good prognosticator of storms. however other animals have showed prediction of storm behaviours:

Birds

Storms also change the delicate routines of many bird species:

Seagull: Normally flies towards the land and rests on its toes before a storm

Swallow: when pressure begins to drop swallows distance itself to much lower levels

Chicken: Will probably start looking for cover a bit earlier than they normally would.

The reason for this behaviour varies but mostly has to do with the birds’ low pressure wind changes and their low frequency hearing.

Frogs

Frogs are organisms that are quite particular with their ecological habitat and with regards to moisture and atmospheric pressure. Many species vocalize more prominently before rain, thus some people have linked the noise of frogs to bad weather.

Bees and Insects

Bees and other winged insects usually go back to their hives and nests on the approach of storms. They probably do this because of the foreboding changes in air pressure and humidity.

Dogs and Cats

Most dog and cat keepers have noted that their animals usually get restive and feel the need to be cuddled a while before thunder clouds gather. One possibility is how they are able to hear stormy conditions, even when humans are still oblivious, as in the low bass of thunder in the sky.

The Science Behind Animal Weather Prediction

Sensory Advantages

Animals have different sense organs, which in some instances are more refined than those of human beings especially in sensing environmental changes:

Barometric Pressure: Before storms, some animals sense slight drops and rises in atmospheric pressure.

Infrasound: Animals are thought to be capable of hearing sounds that are so deep in pitch, and that are often inaudible to most humans, and are known as infrasonic sounds like those caused by thunder far in the distance.

Electromagnetic Sensitivity: Perhaps some animals can sense extreme weather patterns from brain waves of the earth hit by ocean thunder.

Olfactory Cues: Air pollution levels and humidity changes can act as olfactory cues for most big smelling animals.

Evolutionary Adaptations

Additionally, the ability to prophesise future weather patterns, more so the violent changes such as rainfall would have been tremendously advantageous to the different species in terms of evolutionary history. Animals which would have perfected storm prediction would also have been best suited to survive and pass on the necessary genes.

Implications for Human Weather Forecasting

Modern weather forecasting incorporates more machines and presents less of the physical aspects; however, animal based weather forecasting techniques have garnered more interest:

Complementary Data

Complementary data, coming from anthropomania, might happen novel way for a more brazen approach to forecast, predominantly in very basic societies without technological amenity.

Early Warning Systems

Animal behavior is now being included in early warning systems for natural catastrophes such as great storms in some parts of the World.

Biomimicry in Technology

The knowledge gained from how animals can feel weather changes may bring about more advanced devices that can sense weather changes more accurately.

Challenges in Animal-Based Weather Prediction

On the other hand, there are many challenges that cut across the use of animal behavior in weather prediction despite the anticipated positives:

Disparity in Protocol

As opposed to technological measurements, evaluating animal behavior tends to lack the objectivity and consistency when different observers or regions are involved.

Limited Area

Most of the animals have heating sensing capacity only in the place where they are situated and therefore are not suitably used for forecasting.

Conclusion

Regarding animals being the for tellers of storms and other atmospheric disturbances, such an aspect has formed part of human civilization from the distant past. It is true that in more recent times we have reached a point where reliable weather forecasts and advanced capabilities are available, yet the behavior of certain animals, such as cows, birds, and other insects still intrigues us and may contain some secrets of weather forecasting.

Eventually, as we gain more insights into the behavioral and sensory mechanisms of animals, there is the likelihood of incorporating forecasts that are made using these supernatural weather predicting sources. Forecasting of weather, which involves use of animals should not be embraced with abandon because there is a need to appreciate tradition and apply rational approach science.

In the end, the sight of a cow in reclination on the ground, or the pre-storm activity of birds, evokes the same feeling in these individuals: Their close relationship with nature, and the vast system of environmental signals, which intertwine them all. As a means to an end or just looked at as one of the wonders of nature, animal weather prediction is a very interesting part of one’s interaction with the environment and its population.