A 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook Southern California on Monday, prompting a remarkable response from the elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. As captured in a video shared by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, the park's African elephants instinctively formed a protective circle around the younger members of their herd during the quake.
The footage shows elephants Ndlula, Umngani, and Khosi quickly encircling the calves, Zuli and Mkhaya, when the tremors began. According to KTLA, the elephants have the ability to sense sound through their feet, which likely triggered their protective behavior.
The earthquake, centered near San Diego, was felt as far away as Los Angeles, 120 miles to the north. While the quake caused some minor disruptions, such as toppling items off shelves, no major damage or injuries were reported. The elephants, however, remained huddled together for several minutes after the shaking stopped, ensuring the safety of their young.
Mindy Albright, a curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, explained to NBC News that elephants are highly intelligent and social animals. When they perceive a threat, they often form an "alert circle" with the young in the center and the adults facing outward.
The elephants' behavior underscores their natural instincts to protect their young, a sentiment echoed by Albright, who noted, "It’s so great to see them doing the thing we all should be doing — that any parent does, which is protect their children."
After the initial quake, the elephants briefly huddled again during an aftershock before dispersing once they determined the threat had passed.