Horton hears about the earthquake!
A herd of elephants at the San Diego Zoo acted on instinct and formed a “alert circle” around young people to protect their calves from the earthquake that rattled Southern California on Monday.
In addition to their huge ears, elephants have the unique ability to feel sounds through their feet. On Monday morning, a herd of zoo residents felt the beginning of an earthquake of 5.2 magnitude and got caught up in action.
Instinctively, the five gentle giant crew wrestled near the center of the enclosure, forming an “alert circle” around the youngest members of the group.
The action is part of a response to “a perceived threat to protect herds,” the zoo wrote. x.
The circle broke shortly after the earthquake passed, but according to the clip, the herd remained close by to be sure the threat had passed.
The earthquake was centered around 10:08am local time near San Diego, and according to a US Geological Survey, it felt as far away as Los Angeles.
According to accounts shared online, the house wobbled in time with an earthquake and tumbled shelves and smashed glass trinkets on display by Southern Californians.
