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A 5.2-magnitude earthquake rattled Southern California, prompting an impressive display of protective behavior from a group of African elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. As seismic waves traveled through the region, the elephants instinctively shifted into action, safeguarding their young.
Footage captured from their enclosure reveals the elephants reveling in the warmth of the morning sun until the tremors began. The video shows the five elephants—Ndlula, Umngani, Khosi, along with two calves, Zuli and Mkhaya—responding to the disturbance. The mature elephants quickly formed a protective circle around the calves, demonstrating their instinctual behavior during moments of perceived threat.
The older elephants maintained this vigilant stance for several minutes, directing their attention outward, with flapping ears signaling their alertness even after the shaking ceased. “Elephants possess a remarkable capability to sense sounds through their feet,” the park noted, sharing the footage on social media. They recognized the situation and adapted by forming what is known as an “alert circle.”
The earthquake’s impact was felt across a significant area, spanning from San Diego to Los Angeles, approximately 120 miles apart. According to seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones, this earthquake was likely linked to the Elsinore Fault within the extensive San Andreas Fault system, occurring at a depth of about eight miles beneath the Earth’s surface.
Although the quake triggered some minor incidents, such as boulders rolling onto rural roads and items falling off shelves in the small town of Julian, it reportedly did not result in any injuries or significant damage. That said, it clearly unsettled the elephants.
“When they form a circle, they tend to freeze momentarily to assess their surroundings for potential danger,” explained Mindy Albright, a mammal curator at the park. This behavior reflects the elephants’ high intelligence and strong social bonds. During stressful situations, they gather in an alert formation, typically with younger elephants sheltered in the middle while adults address threats from the outside.
The video further illustrates the dynamics within the herd, showcasing one calf seeking safety among the adults while the male calf exhibited more independent behavior on the perimeter of the group. Khosi, a teenage elephant closely involved in nurturing him, was observed gently nudging him with her trunk—a clear message of reassurance. “She was communicating to him to stay close and that everything was alright,” Albright noted.
Younger calf Zuli, still perceived as a baby and receiving affectionate care, will undergo changes in his position within the herd as he matures into a bull, at which point he will leave to join a bachelor group. In contrast, female elephants typically remain with their familial units throughout their lives.
“It’s heartening to witness such primal instincts, showing how these animals naturally protect their young, much like any devoted parent,” Albright commented.
About an hour later, when an aftershock rattled the ground, the herd regrouped briefly but soon dispersed after assessing that all members were safe. Following the initial quake, at least seven aftershocks were recorded, with the most significant registering at 4.0 in magnitude.
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