Latest news with #Ndlula
USA Today
16-04-2025
- General
- USA Today
California earthquake prompts elephants to take a defensive posture
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.
The Guardian
15-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Elephants at San Diego zoo form ‘alert circle' to protect young during quake
As the ground shook from a 5.2-magnitude earthquake, a herd of elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park sprung into action to protect their young. A video shot of their enclosure at the park on Monday morning shows the five African elephants standing around in the morning sun before the camera shakes and they run in different directions. Then the older elephants – Ndlula, Umngani, Khosi – scramble to encircle and shield the two seven-year-old calves, Zuli and Mkhaya, from any possible threats. They remain huddled for several minutes as the older elephants look outward, appearing to be at the ready, their ears spread and flapping – even after the rocking stopped. The quake was felt from San Diego to Los Angeles, 120 miles (193km) away. It sent boulders tumbling onto rural roads in San Diego county and knocked items off store shelves in the tiny mountain town of Julian near the epicenter but caused no injuries or major damage. But it spooked the elephants. Once in a circle, 'they sort of freeze as they gather information about where the danger is', said Mindy Albright, a curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Elephants are highly intelligent and social animals that have the ability to feel sound through their feet. When they perceive a threat, they often bunch together in an 'alert circle', typically with the young clustered in the center and the adults facing outward to defend the group. In the video, one of the calves can be seen running for refuge between the adults, a group of matriarchs that all helped raise her. But the other calf, the only male, remained on the edge of the circle, wanting to show his courage and independence, Albright said. Meanwhile, the female elephant, Khosi, a teenager who helped raise him along with his biological mother, Ndlula, repeatedly tapped him on the back with her trunk, and even on the face, as if patting him to say 'things are OK' and 'stay back in the circle'. Zuli is still a baby and is coddled as such, Albright said, but his role will change over the next few years as he becomes a bull and moves to join a bachelor group while the female elephants stay with the family unit for their entire lives. 'It's so great to see them doing the thing we all should be doing – that any parent does, which is protect their children,' Albright said. About an hour later, when an aftershock hit, they briefly huddled again and then dispersed once they determined everyone was safe.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watch: Zoo elephants form 'alert circle' during San Diego earthquake
April 15 (UPI) -- The San Diego Zoo Safari Park shared video of an elephant herd forming an "alert circle" when startled by an earthquake. The video, recorded during a Monday morning earthquake at the zoo, shows adult African elephants Ndlula, Umngani and Khosi, instinctively forming a circle around youngsters Zuli and Mkhaya as the ground shook. "This behavior is known as an 'alert circle' and is intended to protect the young -- and the entire herd --from threats," zoo spokesperson Emily Senninger said. Senninger explained that elephants can feel sound through their feet. She said the herd returned to normal behaviors after about 4 minutes, but remained in close proximity for a time after the quake.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watch: Zoo elephants form 'alert circle' during San Diego earthquake
April 15 (UPI) -- The San Diego Zoo Safari Park shared video of an elephant herd forming an "alert circle" when startled by an earthquake. The video, recorded during a Monday morning earthquake at the zoo, shows adult African elephants Ndlula, Umngani and Khosi, instinctively forming a circle around youngsters Zuli and Mkhaya as the ground shook. "This behavior is known as an 'alert circle' and is intended to protect the young -- and the entire herd --from threats," zoo spokesperson Emily Senninger said. Senninger explained that elephants can feel sound through their feet. She said the herd returned to normal behaviors after about 4 minutes, but remained in close proximity for a time after the quake.
CBS News
15-04-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Video shows elephants at San Diego Zoo Safari Park racing to protect their young during earthquake
As the ground shook from a 5.2-magnitude earthquake , a herd of elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park sprung into action to protect their young. A video shot of their enclosure at the park Monday morning shows the five African elephants standing around in the morning sun before the camera shakes and they run in different directions. Then the older elephants - Ndlula, Umngani, Khosi - scramble to encircle and shield the two 7-year-old calves Zuli and Mkhaya from any possible threats. They remain huddled for several minutes as the older elephants look outward, appearing to be at the ready, their ears spread and flapping - even after the rocking stopped. "Elephants have the unique ability to feel sounds through their feet and formed what is known as an 'alert circle' during the 5.2 magnitude earthquake that shook Southern California this morning," the safari park wrote on a Facebook reel showing the pachyderms scrambling to protect the calves. The quake was felt from San Diego to Los Angeles, 120 miles away. Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones told CBS Los Angeles the earthquake is likely associated with the Elsinore Fault, which is a branch of the larger San Andreas Fault system. Jones said the depth of the quake was about eight miles below the surface of the Earth. The quake sent boulders tumbling onto rural roads in San Diego County and knocked items off store shelves in the tiny mountain town of Julian near the epicenter but caused no injuries or major damage. But it spooked the elephants. Once in a circle, "they sort of freeze as they gather information about where the danger is," said Mindy Albright, a curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Elephants are highly intelligent and social animals that have the ability to feel sound through their feet. When they perceive a threat, they often bunch together in an "alert circle," typically with the young clustered in the center and the adults facing outward to defend the group. In the video, one of the calves can be seen running for refuge between the adults, a group of matriarchs that all helped raise her. But the other calf, the only male, remained on the edge of the circle, wanting to show his courage and independence, Albright said. Meanwhile, the female elephant, Khosi, a teenager who helped raise him along with his biological mother, Ndlula, repeatedly tapped him on the back with her trunk, and even on the face, as if patting him to say, "Things are OK," and "Stay back in the circle." Zuli is still a baby and is coddled as such, Albright said, but his role will change over the next few years as he becomes a bull and moves to join a bachelor group while the female elephants stay with the family unit for their entire lives. "It's so great to see them doing the thing we all should be doing - that any parent does, which is protect their children," Albright said. About an hour later when an aftershock hit, they briefly huddled again and then dispersed once they determined everyone was safe. At least seven aftershocks were immediately reported after the initial quake, CBS Los Angeles reported, with the strongest one registering at 4.0-magnitude.
