Can Animals Sense Earthquakes and Tsunamis?

03/15/2011

Animals often seem to know things that people don't.  So far there have been few reports of animals sensing the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan this week, but with the thousands of missing people and looming threat of nuclear disaster, the focus has understandably not been on animals. In time, we might learn more about how the animals of Japan reacted to this recent geological nightmare.

We do know that animals in areas affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami most certainly did seem to sense that something disastrous and dangerous had happened.  Witnesses report wild animals such as elephants and monkeys moving towards higher ground as well as anxiety and distress in cattle, dogs and other domestic animals. Given the destructiveness of that disaster, surprisingly few dead animals were recovered.

Can animals predict natural disasters?

While this might seem odd, if you think about the fact that many species naturally have senses that far more acute than those possessed by humans, it seems less strange.

Wild animals in particular need to have excellent senses of smell, sight, hearing and even the ability to sense minute vibrations, because those senses help them survive.  Many species perceive and use electromagnetic fields that are imperceptible to humans to navigate or find prey. 

As odd as this seems, whether it's simply the acuteness of the five known senses or a sixth sense that we humans don't possess, there's nothing paranormal or unnnatural about it.

In fact, some researches are studying the abilities of animals to sense such disasters so they can be used as an early warning system.

These videos discuss the reaction of animals to earthquakes and tsunamis.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Chuck "Caveman" Coker via Flickr Creative Commons.

Comments

[JackieInDallas]

The most important fact is that wild animals PAY ATTENTION to their senses, while we have gotten too dependent on others and our electronics. We have lost some of our acuity for self awareness of the natural world.

[Harmony gamble]

yes i belive they can just like them sensing a persons feeling when there is something wrong medicaly

[Yommy-oladapo]

Animals-naturally-are-endowed-with-sensitive-sense-of-hearing,seeing-and-smelling...domestic-animals-like-dogs,.goats-and-cats,..etc-are-very-good-example-of-animals-who-can-sense-or-see-things-naturally-invisible-to-human-beings...so-animals-at-certain-geographical-range-where-the-tsunami-occured-in-japan-would-have-gotten-the-premonition-but-lack-the-ability-to-talk...hence-mass-movement-in-herds-to-an-upland.

[sackallen]

I felt something weird was going to happen the day before the quake. I woke up with a feeling of impending doom and that somehting bad was going to happen. I think humans have a 6th sense about bad things but we are conditioned to ignore those feelings. Animals stay true to their instincts.

[Pooka]

I agree, sackallen. I've felt a strange feeling before bad events occur, and i think most humans might, but we have blocked it out with modernization.

[Jo Dean]

Never really thought about it like that before.

www.anon-tools.es.tc

[Gouldian Finch]

It is pretty wild how animals can sense danger. I know my Gouldian Finch acts weird before a bad storm or tornado.

[Amit]

I totally disagree with this article.

I was living in Chile when we were struck by the 8.8 earthquake last year, I actually was extremely close to the epicentre of it.

I lived in a rural area, in the middle of nowhere, in a very silent and open area.

We had three dogs at the time, and a horse. None of them did predict anything at all. One of the dogs, slept inside the house with us, this dog is now here in spain with us. This dog had her own bed, and was sleeping as well as we were when the earth started to shake. My wife and I ran and left the house to the garden, whilst this dog continued sleeping as if nothing was happening. We witnessed this from a window.

The other two dogs that slept outside, were happy to see us, as if they weren't even noticing the earthquake.

The horse? On the ground, totally asleep.

We witnessed our house move side to side (it was wooden made), as it was about to collapse, and none of them animals were doing any noises.

On the other hand, all our neighbours had chickens and ducks, we would usually wake up every morning with their singing, before the earthquake they didnt give any signs or nothing at all....

[nick]

I am from singapore,I not sure what happened during that day Japan earthquake occurred. Around the time of the incident, I was feeling so warm in my chest and very funny feeling that hard to explain. After some time i was googling and saw the notice warning of tsunami caused by japan earthquake.

This morning the same feeling again returned. Then I was telling my friend online some bad weather may be round the corner as the feeling i had during japan incident returned. Then few hours later i saw Igoogle south east asia news of indonesia happened a 7.1 earthquake. Thats very scary to me!

[shawnschallenger]

just want better thing's to happen to our planet god bless us all

[Emily]

My cat Missy jumped on to a door a few hours before we had an earthquake