Earthquake hits—but the real drama unfolds in the elephant enclosure. See how this herd’s instincts kicked in to shield their babies.

• 5.2-magnitude earthquake hits Southern California

• San Diego Zoo’s elephant herd forms protective circle around calves

• Adult elephants Ndlula, Umngani and Khosi shield young Zuli and Mkhaya

• Female calf runs to center while male hesitates at edge

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SAN DIEGO (FactAlive) — When a 5.2-magnitude earthquake rattled Southern California, the African elephants at San Diego Zoo Safari Park swiftly moved to safeguard their youngest members.

Security footage captured the moment—initially calm, with the herd basking in the morning sun. Then, as the camera trembled, the elephants scattered before regrouping. The adults—Ndlula, Umngani, and Khosi—rushed to form a protective barrier around the two calves, 7-year-old Zuli and Mkhaya, shielding them from danger.

For several tense minutes, the older elephants stood alert, ears flared, scanning for threats—even after the shaking subsided.

The quake’s impact stretched from San Diego to Los Angeles (193 km away), dislodging rocks onto rural roads and toppling goods in Julian, the mountain town nearest the epicenter. Fortunately, no injuries or significant damage were reported.

The quake startled the elephants.

Once they formed their protective circle, “they paused, assessing where the threat might be coming from,” explained Mindy Albright, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s mammal curator.

Elephants are remarkably intelligent and deeply social creatures, capable of detecting vibrations through their feet. When sensing danger, they instinctively form a defensive formation—known as an “alert circle”—with calves sheltered in the middle and adults standing guard on the perimeter.

The footage reveals one calf darting to safety between the protective matriarchs who helped raise her. However, the young male hesitated at the circle’s edge, seemingly determined to prove his bravery, noted Albright. Meanwhile, Khosi, a younger female who helped nurture him alongside his mother, Ndlula, gently nudged him with her trunk—touching his back and even his face—as if reassuring him: “It’s safe. Stay with us.”

“Zuli is still young and gets babied accordingly,” Albright explained. But his status will shift in coming years as he matures into a bull and eventually leaves to join a male group, while the females remain with their lifelong family herd.

“It’s incredible to witness them doing what all parents instinctively do – protecting their young,” Albright remarked.

When an aftershock struck about an hour later, the elephants quickly regrouped in a protective huddle before scattering once they confirmed the danger had passed.

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