As the ground shook... Elephants at a US zoo suddenly formed a 'circle, circle'

Excellent Ability to Sense Vibrations Through Their Feet
Strong Instinct to Protect Calves and the Herd When Threatened

During a magnitude 5.2 earthquake near San Diego, California, USA, a rare scene was captured where zoo elephants gathered together to protect their calves. On the 14th, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance posted a 35-second short video titled "Stronger Together." The security camera footage capturing the elephant enclosure during the magnitude 5.2 earthquake that occurred that morning showed five elephants quickly responding to the shaking ground by adult elephants surrounding and shielding the calves.

The fully grown adult elephants Endula, Umungani, and Koshi surrounded the seven-year-old baby elephants Juli and Mkaya at the center, spreading their ears wide and remaining still for several minutes while keeping watch outside. San Diego Zoo X (Ex)

The fully grown adult elephants Endula, Umungani, and Koshi surrounded the seven-year-old calves Julie and Mkaya at the center, spreading their ears wide and remaining still for several minutes while on alert. The zoo explained that this behavior is called an "alert circle." It is an instinctive response to protect the calves and the entire herd when sensing a threat.

Elephants have the ability to detect ground vibrations through their footpads, which is known to help them sense earthquakes early. Mindy Albright, a curator of pachyderms, explained, "This behavior naturally occurs when elephants perceive a threat within their herd." San Diego Zoo X (X).

Elephants are known to often detect earthquakes early due to their ability to sense ground vibrations through their feet. Mindy Albright, a curator of large mammals, explained, "This behavior naturally occurs when elephants perceive a threat within the herd." The earthquake started in San Diego and was strong enough for vibrations to be felt as far as Los Angeles, 193 km away. The elephants once again gathered to ensure safety during an aftershock that occurred an hour later. Meanwhile, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake occurred around 10:08 a.m. about 4 km south of Julian, an inland area of San Diego County. Several aftershocks ranging from magnitude 2.5 to 3.0 followed near the initial quake, but fortunately, no casualties were reported.