As a 5.2-magnitude earthquake shook the ground, a group of elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park quickly moved to safeguard their young.
A video captured on Monday reveals the five African elephants basking in the sunlight before the camera begins to tremble, prompting them to scatter in various directions. The older elephants—Ndlula, Umngani, and Khosi—swiftly formed a protective barrier around the two seven-year-old calves, Zuli and Mkhaya, to shield them from potential dangers.
They remained closely grouped for several minutes, with the older elephants vigilant and alert, their ears extended and flapping, even after the tremors ceased.
The earthquake was felt across a wide area, from San Diego to Los Angeles, approximately 120 miles (193 km) away. It caused boulders to tumble onto rural roads in San Diego County and dislodged items from store shelves in the small mountain town of Julian, near the epicenter, but fortunately resulted in no injuries or significant damage.
However, the elephants were understandably unsettled.
Once they formed a circle, “they sort of freeze as they gather information about where the danger is,” explained Mindy Albright, a curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Elephants are known for their high intelligence and social nature, possessing the ability to sense vibrations through their feet. When they detect a threat, they often gather in an “alert circle,” with the young positioned in the center and the adults facing outward to protect the group.
In the footage, one of the calves is seen seeking shelter among the adults, a group of matriarchs that have all contributed to her upbringing. In contrast, the male calf chose to stay on the periphery of the circle, eager to demonstrate his bravery and independence, according to Albright. Meanwhile, Khosi, a teenage elephant who helped raise him alongside his biological mother, Ndlula, gently tapped him on the back and even on the face with her trunk, as if to reassure him that “everything is fine” and to encourage him to remain within the safety of the circle.
Zuli remains an infant and is treated accordingly, Albright noted. However, his role will evolve in the coming years as he matures into a bull and transitions to a bachelor group, while the female elephants remain with their family units for life.
“It’s wonderful to witness them engaging in the instinctive behavior that all parents should exhibit, which is to safeguard their offspring,” Albright remarked.
Approximately an hour later, following an aftershock, they gathered momentarily before separating again after confirming that everyone was safe.
