On April 14, San Diego experienced a 5.2-magnitude earthquake. Luckily for a family of elephants at the local zoo, their protective instincts kicked in as soon as they felt the ground shaking. They knew exactly what to do in order to keep each other safe.
Videos by InspireMore
Their first step? Getting close to one another. When they couldn’t quite figure out what it was that was causing all of this commotion, they formed what’s called an “alert circle.” The little ones gathered at the center while the adults faced each other back-to-back. This allowed them to be aware of any dangers, all while keeping their babies safe. See this incredible act of love for yourself in the video below.
“Protecting the whole herd seems to be their mantra. They can teach us a lot!” someone points out in the comments, another adding, “Animal behavior is such a beautiful thing.”
Elephants at the San Diego Zoo Act Quickly to Protect One Another During an Earthquake
As alarming as this earthquake may have been, thankfully, nobody got hurt. (This is true both inside and outside the zoo.) But even when the earthquake died down, this caring elephant family had each other’s backs. In fact, they rejoined an hour later during an aftershock.
Elephants are known to be intelligent, social creatures, and their use of “alert circles” is proof of both. Plus, it goes to show that the bond between this specific family is healthy and strong.
“It’s so great to see them doing the thing we all should be doing — that any parent does, which is protect their children,” Mindy Albright, a curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park says.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here!
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
