Mickey Z

Cool Observer

Posted by Mickey Z on 12/30 at 07:50 AM

I grew up in Alaska and lived thru the big earthquake there and the animals did indeed know that something was going to happen and beat feet to safety. It was early spring with lots of migratory birds and small animals everywhere and the moose were all over the place and frisky (we kids were always on the lookout for moose because they can be dangerous) and what we realized afterwards was that it was totally silent the day of the earthquake, before it hit. I emailed my dad and asked him if he remembers any reports of dead animals and he said only domestic pets that got trapped in houses that slid down cliffs or were washed away in the tsunami.
Stacy

Posted by stacy on from 12/30 at 11:43 AM

Fascinating. I’d love to learn more about this phenomenon, this sixth sense of non-human animals. If well over 100,000 people were killed by the tital waves, I dread that ten or a hundred times this number of non-human animals were killed. But maybe not. Thanks, Stacy (and Mickey).

Posted by James Herriot on from England 12/30 at 12:35 PM

Thanks, Stacy. That is an amazing story...although I found myself feeling really sad for those house pets.

I’ve read a lot of interesting books on animals but the one that might be most appropriate to recommend in this case is “When Elephants Weep” by Jeffrey Masson.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from 12/30 at 12:40 PM

Many animals are sensitive to shifts in magnetic fields. Migratory animals rely on them to find their way. Earthquakes cause a measurable disturbance. Instinct ensures those able to flee will do so.

Posted by harry on from upstate 12/30 at 01:21 PM

I think domesticated humans are not very good at the safety thing. In Anchorage there were many large, expensive homes built on the bluff with beautiful views and they were literally built on clay. Those houses slid down the cliff and were destroyed. My dad also reminded me of friends whose teenage son ran back into their house to save a pet (I think a bird in a cage) and was killed when the cliff gave way and the house was destroyed. You know, I’ve never given a single thought all these years to the wild animals that lived with us and lived thru that earthquake. There simply weren’t any dead wild animals and no stories about them either—the only stories were about pets—dogs hiding under the bed, wierd behavior by household pets on the day of the quake, etc. Our big black lab stood next to us in the kitchen doorway as we hung onto our mom and rode out the quake and watched our kitchen cupboards and fridge empty out onto the kitchen floor! I get a queasy stomach, incipient panic, just thinking about the quake, even after all these years.
Stacy

Posted by stacy on from 12/30 at 01:21 PM

Perhaps if we paid more attention to the inate, intuitive qualities of (hu)mankind too, we wouldn’t have to spend trillions on our counter-intuitive military industrial complex.

Posted by Nader Rider on from 12/31 at 11:47 AM

You ought to thank yourself, Harry. A seed is only potent if the soil is fertile. I enjoyed rereading some of PK’s work in this field as well, thanks to your link.

Posted by Nader Rider on from 12/31 at 02:52 PM