do birds know when an earthquake is coming

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Scientists are betting on a new system to alert us to impending earthquakes: birds wearing tiny backpacks.

Though no one knows precisely why, animals often act atypically before an earthquake or other disaster. Flocks of birds might migrate off course or be active at unusual times, says Martin Wikelski, an ecologist at Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Ornithology and a fellow of the National Geographic Society. He directs a satellite tracking project called International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space. ICARUS will use lightweight electronic tags—affixed as backpack harnesses, leg bands, or even hats—to monitor the activity patterns of tens of thousands of birds, bats, and other creatures for irregularities that suggest an earthquake is imminent.

A global network of volunteers has started to tag animals with the devices—Wikelski calls them “wearables for wildlife”—which will track and beam their movements and other data to the International Space Station. There Russian astronauts will install the ICARUS data-gathering hardware during an upcoming space walk. The result, Wikelski hopes, will be a disaster-prediction network akin to an “internet of wings.”

Can animals predict earthquakes?

Scientists have not consistently recorded animals acting strangely or leaving the area days before an earthquake. While there is anecdotal evidence of this occurring—dating all the way back to 373 BC—it’s not enough to prove that animals have this ability.

Some animals can detect the vibrations of an earthquake a few seconds before it occurs, thanks to their keen senses—but not a few hours or days. When an earthquake occurs, it produces two types of waves of energy. The smaller P wave (or compressional wave) of an earthquake arrives just before the larger S wave (or shear wave). It moves faster than the S wave because it can travel through solids, liquids, and gases, while the S wave only travels through solids—this is the wave that shakes the ground in a rolling motion. Very few humans notice the vibration of the P wave, but animals can often sense it. It’s unknown exactly how animals may detect P waves, but it could be through their sense of smell, touch, or hearing.

Can humans predict disasters?

Fortunately, advanced technology allows us to track severe weather events like hurricanes and tropical storms, even if we can’t predict all disasters. This often gives us time to prepare and evacuate. However, animals are still often left by the wayside, and these storms often have unexpected effects—such as when Storm Daniel broke a dam in Libya, flooding the city of Derna. Disasters like these can displace thousands of people from their homes, separate them from their pets, and also injure or strand wild animals that have no humans on which they can rely. That’s why it’s so important that we prepare for disasters as early as we can.

IFAW’s disaster resilience project in Bali uses the unusual movement of wildlife as part of the early warning system for predicting eruptions of the nearby volcano Mt. Agung. While science is unclear on what causes certain animals to flee, this unusual movement has been traditionally reported by village elders and continues to be a part of this community’s disaster preparedness.

The devices, which Wikelski refers to as “wearables for wildlife,” are being tagged by a global network of volunteers. The devices will track the animals’ movements and transmit additional data to the International Space Station. During a future space walk, Russian astronauts will install the ICARUS data-gathering hardware. Wikelski anticipates that the outcome will be a network for disaster prediction similar to a “internet of wings.” ”.

Unknown causes aside, animals frequently exhibit abnormal behavior prior to an earthquake or other calamity. According to Martin Wikelski, an ecologist at Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Ornithology and a fellow of the National Geographic Society, flocks of birds may migrate off course or become active at odd times. He is in charge of the International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space satellite tracking program. Lightweight electronic tags, attached as leg bands, backpack harnesses, or even hats, will be used by ICARUS to track the movements of tens of thousands of birds, bats, and other animals in order to look for anomalies that could indicate an impending earthquake.

Scientists are placing their money on birds wearing tiny backpacks as a new seismic warning system.

FAQ

What do birds do during an earthquake?

During the shock the birds began to leave the roost, and rose slowly in ascending spirals above the trees to a height of about 140 ft. They then descended slowly and settled noisily in the roost; thereafter throughout the minor shocks they showed no sign of disturbance.

How do birds know an earthquake is coming?

Though no one knows precisely why, animals often act atypically before an earthquake or other disaster. Flocks of birds might migrate off course or be active at unusual times, says Martin Wikelski, an ecologist at Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Ornithology and a fellow of the National Geographic Society.

How do animals act before an earthquake?

In fact, a recent study of an earthquake in a region of Siberia noted that a small, but significant number of dogs showed anxious behaviors, including barking for no reason, howling, whining, and running around, minutes to hours before the earthquake occurred.

Can birds predict natural disasters?

Some have highly sensitive hearing or smell, while others can detect changes in atmospheric pressure or electromagnetic fields. For instance, birds are sensitive to air pressure changes and often hunker down before a big storm.