Elephants react to San Diego earthquake, swarm around young
Elephants form circle to protect young during California earthquake
Elephants at a San Diego Zoo felt the April 14, 2025, earthquake in California and rushed to protect the young. Credit: San Diego Zoo Safari Park via Storyful
Footage from a San Diego Zoo shows the heartwarming moment elephants rushed to protect their young when an earthquake hit earlier this week.
San Diego earthquake
The backstory:
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit Julian, California, the morning of Monday, April 14. The quake swung light fixtures and rattled shelves in San Diego and was felt as far north as Los Angeles.
READ MORE: California earthquake: 5.2 magnitude quake strikes near San Diego
Elephants react to earthquake
Credit: San Diego Zoo Safari Park via Storyful
Video perspective:
Footage shared by San Diego Zoo Safari Park, located less than 40 miles away from the epicenter, shows elephants rapidly forming a so-called alert circle to protect younger members of the herd," the zoo wrote to X.
What they're saying:
"Elephants have the unique ability to feel sounds through their feet," the park said. "This behavior is a natural response to perceived threats to protect the herd."
The zoo said the elephants – named Ndlula, Zuli, Mkhaya, Umngani and Khosi – are safe and back to their regular routine.
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The Source: Information in this article was taken from video and information posted on social media by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and obtained by Storyful, a video licensing agency. Background information on the earthquake was taken from the U.S. Geological Survey and previous FOX Television Station reporting. This story was reported from Detroit.