The tsunami which devastated many countries in Asia and Africa on 26 December 2004 was an unprecedented global disaster. Caused by an earthquake off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra that measured a 9.0 on the Richter scale, the tsunami had wiped out entire coastlines of countries around the Indian Ocean. This single act of nature had left more than a quarter million people dead, many more millions homeless and caused untold billions of dollars in damages
In the midst of tragedy, there were reports of certain bizarre events that surprised scientists and wildlife officials alike. Stories of animals behaving strangely before the earthquake had hit begun to emerge, as well as tales of wildlife escaping to safety before the tsunami struck.
What was it that forewarned these animals of imminent danger? Do animals possess a certain “sixth sense” that humans do not? We investigate this bizarre phenomenon.
Unlike the humans inhabiting the coastlines of the Indian Ocean who were totally unaware of impending tsunami, the animal kingdom was seemingly aware of the coming disaster..
In the aftermath of the December 26 tsunami, there were many reports that emerged of animals escaping the disaster. Indeed, the giant waves that killed hundreds and thousands of people, toppled trees and buildings, and even tossed large ships many miles inland, seemed to have spared an impressive number of animals.
In Khaolak on Thailand’s Andaman seaboard some 50 miles north of Phuket, a dozen elephants that were giving tourists rides began agitated and started trumpeting hours before the tsunami came. This was around the same time the submarine earthquake occurred off the coast of Sumatra. Just before the tsunami hit, the elephants fled for higher ground – some of them escaping from their fetters – taking with them four very surprised but fortunate Japanese tourists. An official from the Khaolak National Park commented that they have not found any dead animals in the park – the animals had all fled to the hills and he believed not a single one perished in and around the park from the tsunami
Similarly, in the south-eastern part of Sri Lanka in the Yala National Park, wildlife officials likewise reported that its animal inhabitants – tigers, elephants, buffalo, and monkeys amongst others – had escaped mostly unscathed. This was despite the tsunami which had battered the coastline bordering the park.
At the Point Calimere sanctuary on the southern coast of India, flocks of flamingos which should have been breeding at that time of the year had fled their usual breeding grounds for safer forests inland.
Fishermen from Malaysia’s tsunami-affected Kuala Muda area had reported of large numbers of dolphins swimming very close to shore – some as near as 200m – two days before the tsunami. The marine mammals were leaping into the air and flipping their tails, as though trying to catch the fishermen’s attention.
Interestingly, these same fishermen had reported hauling in up to nearly 20 times their usual catch for three straight days before the tsunami struck. It is now surmised that the fish had been fleeing from the epicentre of the coming submarine earthquake which would later generate the tsunami.
Not all animals escaped unscathed, however. Larges turtles were found dead amongst the debris along the shores of Indonesia’s devastated Aceh province
Scientists, researchers and animal experts argue over the possibility that animals may possess senses which warn them of coming natural disasters
While animal experts and researchers support the possibility that animals possess some form of “early warning system” which forewarns them of coming disasters, most scientists are not so sure. These detractors argue that evidence put forth by animal experts is mostly anecdotal in nature.
These wondrous tales of animals behaving strangely before and during the earthquake and the ensuing tsunami has raised new questions about what these members of the animal kingdom may possess that humans do not. Is it a form of animal “sixth sense”?
Many scientists are sceptical that this would be the case. Although unusual animal behaviour preceding earthquakes and other natural disasters has been observed and reported throughout the world for centuries – rats fleeing buildings, birds taking flight and dogs howling in the night. Yet researchers are reluctant to assign credibility to the phenomenon. Seismologists, in particular, are dismissive of the idea of animal sensitivity towards natural phenomena such as earthquakes. Most of these detractors argue that evidence for such capacities is largely anecdotal in nature.
There are, however, scientists who admit to the possibility that animals may possess advanced sensory capacities which humans lack. Some look for explanations by correlating animals’ highly attuned sensory abilities with microscopic and invisible sensory stimuli. Animal experts point out that animals heightened senses – sight, sounds, and smells – make them more reactive to changes in the environment than humans.
Research shows that many fish are sensitive to low-frequency vibrations and can detect the most minor of tremors. Other animals are similarly sensitive – elephants seem to be able to detect infrasound vibrations in the earth through their legs. Could it be, then, that the elephants which fled to the hills of Khaolak somehow sensed the tremors caused by the undersea earthquake off Sumatra?
A strong case for animal sensitivity occurred last year in the coastal waters of Florida. 14 electronically-tagged blacktip sharks were observed to leave their territory off Sarasota – which never happened in 4 years of monitoring – some 12 hours before Hurricane Charley hit the region. They were to stay away for another 2 weeks before heading home – did these fish somehow sensed the arrival of the hurricane? The facts point towards the affirmative.
However critics have argued that even if animals do possess some form of detection capabilities, few scientists are convinced that an early warning system for humans can be derived from it. And the reason is simple – it simply would neither be feasible nor possible to convince people to base their safety on such a system. It is highly unlikely that the general public would take an evacuation notice seriously if the authorities told them “all the elephants in the San Diego Zoo are trumpeting and fleeing for the hills”.
Unusual animal behaviour preceding earthquakes and other natural disasters has been observed and reported throughout the world for centuries. Here are some of them.
- Greek historian Diodorus had recorded an exodus of creatures just two days before an earthquake destroyed the Greek city of Helice in 383BC. Witnesses had reported a massive evacuation of the city’s rats, snakes, weasels, millipedes and worms.
- In the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755, German philosopher Immanuel Kant observed in his writings just eight days before the disaster hit the Portuguese city that a multitude of worms was seen to have been driven from underground near Cadiz in southern Spain.
- On June 25, 1966, residents of the town of Parkfield, California were shocked by an invasion of rattlesnakes and wondered why the reptiles had fled their dry, grassy knolls. The answer came 2 days later when the area was hit by an earthquake.
- The night before the Sylmar earthquake of February 9, 1971, various independent police patrols reported enormous numbers of rats scurrying through the streets of San Fernando, California. The police also received a number of complaints about dogs barking and howling incessantly for several hours before the 6:01 a.m. quake.
- On February 28, 2001, it was reported that a number of cats were said to be hiding for no apparent reason some 12 hours before an earthquake – measuring a 6.8 on the Richter scale – struck the Seattle area. Others were behaving in an anxious way or “freaking out” an hour or two before, while some dogs were frantically barking before the earthquake struck. Even goats and other animals had displayed obvious signs of fear.
- On February 22, 1999, chamois – small goat-like mountain antelopes – fled from the mountains of Austria’s Tyrol region into the valleys, something they usually never do. The next day, an avalanche devastated the Austrian village of Galtur in the Tyrol, killing dozens of people.
- During World War II, many families in Britain and Germany relied on their pets’ behaviour to warn them of approaching air raids even before official warnings were given. These warnings occurred when enemy planes were still hundreds of miles away, long before the animals could have heard them coming. Some dogs in London even anticipated the explosion of German V-2 rockets. These missiles were supersonic and hence could not have been heard in advance.
All this proves that my observation made on the 25th Dec 2004 is true as it has been discussed on the animal planet site . You will also find my observations on this blog
http://www.animalplanetindia.com/tsunamianimalinstinct/feature1.shtml
