California earthquake prompts elephants to take a defensive posture

USA Today

16-04-2025

California earthquake prompts elephants to take a defensive posture
Southern California was hit with a 5.2-magnitude earthquake Monday morning, and elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park knew it was coming an instant before it struck.
Video from the park shows the elephants reacting seconds before the shaking started, as noted by the shaking camera, and then formed an 'alert circle,' as the park described on its Instagram post.
'This behavior, demonstrated here by Ndlula, Zuli, Mkhaya, Umngani, and Khosi, is a natural response to perceived threats that helps protect younger elephants and the herd as a whole,' the park wrote.
Once in a circle, 'they sort of freeze as they gather information about where the danger is,' Mindy Albright, curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, told the Associated Press. 'It's so great to see them doing the thing we all should be doing—that any parent does, which is protect their children.'
Normalcy quickly returned, the park noted.
'After [Monday] morning's shake up, the [elephants] returned to business as usual and are safe along with the rest of the crew at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.'
But about an hour later, the elephants huddled up again when an aftershock hit. Then it was back to normal for good.
Photo courtesy of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.