Caught on Camera: How Elephants at San Diego Zoo Huddled to Protect Their Young Ones During Earthquake

San Diego: A video of elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park went viral, showing the African herd instinctively rallying to shield their young ones. The moment captured follows after a 5.2-magnitude earthquake jolted Southern California on Monday morning.

The video shows elephants forming a protective circle around their calves, showcasing their deep-rooted instincts and strong family bonds. The elephants were calmly basking in the early sunlight just before the tremors hit.

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At first, they appear startled and scatter briefly — but within seconds, the older females, Ndlula, Umngani, and Khosi, quickly regroup and position themselves around the calves, Zuli and Mkhaya. With ears outstretched and bodies poised, the adult elephants maintain their protective stance for several minutes after the ground settles.

Mindy Albright, curator of mammals at the park, said, "They sort of freeze as they gather information about where the danger is."

The incident took place around 10:10 a.m. near Julian, the earthquake’s epicenter. Although the quake was felt as far away as Los Angeles and Tijuana and triggered rockslides in rural areas, no significant damage or injuries were reported.

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According to Albright, this defensive response mirrors how elephants behave in the wild. In threatening situations, herds will instinctively form what she describes as an “alert circle,” with the young ones safely inside and the adults facing outward to confront potential danger. In the video, one calf instinctively dashes toward the adults, while Zuli, the male calf, lingers momentarily on the edge. Khosi gently guides him back by tapping him with her trunk.

"It's so great to see them doing the thing we all should be doing — that any parent does, which is protect their children," Albright added.

Roughly an hour later, after an aftershock was felt, the elephants briefly huddled once more before calmly resuming their day, remaining close together as a continued sign of unity and care.