Researchers are divided on this topic; some believe animals
know when a natural disaster is going to happen and try to get to safety and
others do not believe animals have any special powers.
We've all seen our pets and other animals act
differently when the weather is going to change, but what about earthquakes,
hurricanes and other disasters?
I'm going to try to give some specifics about this, but even
these are disagreed upon by those doing the research. For instance, in Florida,
researchers studying tagged sharks say they flee to deeper water just before a
big hurricane arrives. They also may be sensing the air and water pressure
changes caused by the big storm.
Michelle Heupel, a scientist at the Mote Marine Laboratory
who worked on the shark study, has told reporters. “When things change, they
may not understand why it’s happening, but the change itself may trigger some
instinct to move to an area that is safer for them.”
Many believe animals know when there is going to be an
earthquake. Researchers like Liz Von
Muggenthaler — who appears in NATURE’s, Can Animals Predict Disaster?
— believe animals can pick up the “infrasonic” sound pulses created by storms
and earthquakes, and get a head start on fleeing to safety. It would make
sense, she says, that the animals learn to associate such signals with danger.
An elephant trumpets wildly, breaks a chain holding it to a
tree, and flees to higher ground — just before a massive tsunami crashes
ashore, drowning hundreds of thousands of people. Did the elephant know the
deadly wave was coming?
Could it be some creatures may be able to “hear” infrasound,
— sounds produced by natural phenomena, including earthquakes, volcanoes, and
storms, that are inaudible to the human ear. This ability may give elephants
and other animals enough time to react and flee to safety.
Another explanation may lie in animals’ sensitivities to
electromagnetic field variations. Quantum geophysicist Motoji Ikeya has found
that certain animals react to changes in electrical currents. He now regularly
monitors a catfish, the most sensitive of the creatures he has tested, to aid
him in warning others of coming disaster.
It is thought seagulls will return to land if there is a
barometric change.
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| Seagull |
What happens to
animals before storms roll in or at the onset of winter? Infrasonic sounds
could still be the culprit because hurricanes and thunder produce sound
waves at those frequencies. But there's also the matter of changes in barometric
(air) and hydrostatic (water) pressure.
Birds and bees also appear to
sense this drop in barometric pressure and will instinctively seek the cover of
their nests or hives. Birds also use their ability to sense air pressure to
determine when it's safe to migrate.
There have been
interesting proposals about the validity of some animal folklore. Some Native
Americans believe black bears choose different sleeping spots in their caves
depending on how cold the winter will be, or the fur on a hare's feet will grow
fluffier if heavy snows approach. While there's a chance these are simply
coincidences, some have pointed out that science is based on observation, and
folklore is based on centuries of observation -- although the observations
haven't been conducted in controlled circumstances.
So far, science
hasn't found a surefire way to answer many of the questions we have about
animals' behaviors, perceptions and motivations. Until that time, it's hard to
prove once and for all what's going on in their heads.
It's highly
unlikely animals can predict weather in an ESP-sort of way, but they very well may be
able to sense environmental signals that humans miss. Reaction is another key
component: A human might sense a drop in barometric pressure, for example, but
not feel compelled by that sensation to seek shelter before a storm hits, as an
animal might.
Another potential
reason animals might react to impending weather events and natural disasters
differently than humans is because at least some of their five senses almost
always surpass our own. Many weather occurrences generate noises in the
infrasonic range, too low for people to usually hear, for example, but well
within the hearing range of many animal species.
There are many
ways the conditions of an environment may alter to give animals a heads-up that
something rough is on the way. Apart from barometric pressure and sound waves,
there can also be changes in hydrostatic, or water, pressure.
How animals pick
up on and react to fluctuations in environmental signals likely varies from
species to species, as well as among the individuals of those species.
Some day science may learn the answers to the question
of: Can animals predict the weather and
other natural disasters? Right now,
there is no definitive answer.
Thank you for reading.
Have a great week, and I'll see you next Sunday.
Sandra K. Marshall, author
@ Eirelander Publishing
http://www.eirelanderpublishing.com
http://www.skaymarshall.com
