On Monday morning (April 14th), a shallow 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck San Diego County, California, with many areas in Southern California feeling the tremors. During the earthquake, a unique scene was captured at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where a group of elephants immediately formed a circle to protect two young elephants at the moment the earthquake hit, leading many netizens to exclaim how heartwarming it was.
According to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the earthquake was located about 5 kilometers south of Julian in San Diego County, with a shallow depth of only 14.3 kilometers, causing noticeable tremors as far as from San Diego to Los Angeles. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries or property damage so far.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park uploaded a surveillance video from the park on social media platforms, showing that when the earthquake struck, the security camera shook violently, causing the African elephant herd, which was leisurely sunbathing, to first run in different directions. However, three adult elephants quickly gathered together and surrounded the two young elephants amidst the shaking ground.
The herd maintained this formation for about four minutes before dispersing. About an hour later, an aftershock occurred, prompting them to once again gather in a circle to protect the young elephants until ensuring the safety of all members before dispersing again.
The head of the mammal area at the zoo, Mindy Albright, stated, “Watching the elephants instinctively protect their children, behaving like human parents, is truly heartwarming.”
Albright added that the two young elephants are a male and female pair. During the earthquake, the young female elephant was visibly frightened and immediately sought refuge in the center of the circle formed by the other elephants. The young male elephant, the only male in the herd, seemed eager to showcase his courage and independence, choosing to stand at the edge of the protective circle with his mother and other elder elephants.
Captured in the footage, the adult female elephants continuously used their trunks to pat the young male elephant. Albright described this act resembling how adults comfort children by saying, “It’s okay, stay inside the circle and don’t move.”
The zoo staff noted that elephants are highly intelligent animals with complex social behaviors. They can not only hear sounds through their ears but also receive sound signals through their footpads. When feeling threatened, elephant herds quickly form what is known as an “alert circle” to protect the young and the entire group from potential threats.
Many viewers of the video were deeply touched, with comments like “This is the most heartwarming thing I’ve seen today,” “Motherly love knows no bounds,” “Elephants are truly remarkable creatures,” and “Elephants are incredibly smart!”