Chinese wonder if animals can predict earthquakes

AP ^ | May 15, 2008 | HENRY SANDERSON

[ukie55]

This has been observed for years and they’re just figuring this out?

I wonder how many lives would have been saved if they had used animal behavior as a predictor?

[ukie55]

Incredible!

That thing sure lasted a long time.

[Myrddin]

I have a friend who is native born Italian. He has often spoken of similar animal behavior in Italy just prior to an earthquake. Your thoughts?

Jim Berkland (CA seismologist who predicted the Loma Prieta quake) watches the "missing pets" listings in the news paper as a covert means of observing animal behavior before a quake. Rates of missing pets reports appear to rise prior to an earthquake.

[Myrddin]

There are often electrical signals generated by piezo electric effects as rocks are crushed and released in an earthquake. There are claims of observed local "lightning" over areas prior to seismic activity. That piezo electric energy may be the origin of what is sensed at a distance.

[Joe 6-pack]

I've also heard about large volumes of static electricity building up and being discharged from fault lines resulting in "ufo" sightings before earthquakes.

My brother has a masters in geophysics from PSU, and I've asked him what he thought about my "sensations". He said he certainly wouldn't discount the possibility that it was related to the earthquake, but in his own opinion considered it unlikely.

[NYer]

Now that is interesting!

[Biggirl]

Then again Mr. Richter has not studied up on animals and predicting earthquakes.

[airborne]

I believe that animals are much more sensitive to seismic activity. Among other things.

No proof. I just believe it to be true.

[onedoug]

Go ahead.

[aposiopetic]

Even the mainstream media has chimed in, with an article in Tuesday's China Daily newspaper questioning why the government did not predict the earthquake.

Here the drive-by media would say "Bush's fault," so I guess there they have to say "Wen's fault."

[Screaming_Gerbil]

In fact, seismologists say, it is nearly impossible to predict when and where an earthquake will strike...

"...But so far, no reliable way has been found to use animals to predict earthquakes, said Roger Musson, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey."

But that has not stopped a torrent of online discussion. Even the mainstream media has chimed in, with an article in Tuesday's China Daily newspaper questioning why the government did not predict the earthquake.

Online commentators say the first sign came about three weeks ago, when large amounts of water suddenly disappeared from a pond in Enshi city in Hubei province...

Then, three days before the earthquake, thousands of toads roamed the streets of Mianzhu...

The day of the earthquake, zebras were banging their heads against a door at the zoo in Wuhan... Elephants swung their trunks wildly, almost hitting a staff member. The 20 lions and tigers, which normally would be asleep at midday, were walking around...

Five minutes before the quake hit, dozens of peacocks started screeching...

Well, at least now someone has an idea of what to look for.

First sign is water table drops a few weeks ahead of time. Then be on the lookout for an unusual amount of toads outside of their ponds, and by the time the animals in the zoo start acting weird you better be ready to grab your "grab and go kit" and the children and get to someplace safer.

Maybe best not wait until the peacocks start screeching...

[Screaming_Gerbil]

I think it was definitely you and your dog detecting the event, not the location you were in at the time other than it was secluded and in a natural setting (Maybe in a busy shopping mall it would not have been the same)...

Thanks for explaining the sensation to us. Now we know what the feeling is like.

Some people are better connected to things in nature (or certain other things) than others. But most don’t say anything about their experiences for fear of not being taken seriously or being made fun of.

I checked out your profile - saw the picture of Timber. I am sorry Timber is no longer with you, but glad that you shared the 9 years almost every day together.