A recent earthquake in San Diego prompted a remarkable display of natural behavior: captive elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park formed a protective circle around two calves. The incident offers insight into elephants’ sensitivity to environmental changes and raises concerns about the impact of constant human-made vibrations on elephants kept in captive settings like theme parks.
When the ground shook under Southern California during a 5.2-magnitude earthquake, three adult elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park responded instinctively. They gathered around the herd’s two youngest members—Zuli and Mkhaya—creating a protective barrier until the tremors ceased.
The behavior was a clear demonstration of elephants’ deeply ingrained social bonds and their acute sensitivity to seismic activity. Known for their advanced cognition and complex communication, elephants don’t only rely on audible cues—they also perceive and interpret vibrations through the ground.
Elephants possess specialized cells in their feet and trunks that allow them to detect low-frequency vibrations, known as seismic communication. These vibrations can travel several miles and carry critical information about approaching predators, the movements of distant herds, or changes in the environment, such as earthquakes.
Researchers have documented how elephants respond to seismic cues by freezing, orienting themselves in the direction of the vibration, or even moving toward or away from the source. In the wild, this ability enhances their survival. In captivity, however, it can create a source of constant, inescapable stress.
The scene in San Diego, where elephants instinctively responded to a seismic event by protecting their young, underscores their deep emotional intelligence and sensitivity to environmental cues. It also highlights the urgent need to consider how captive settings may actively harm elephants.
At Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, Joyce the elephant experiences frequent human-made seismic activity from nearby amusement park attractions. The park’s rollercoasters, which operate seasonally (March-November), produce intense noise and vibrations that are likely impossible for an elephant not to notice.
Dr. Jan Schmidt-Burbach, a veterinarian and elephant expert, raised these concerns when he visited Six Flags to assess Joyce last year:
Unlike wild elephants, who can choose to move away from disturbing vibrations, Joyce has no autonomy to seek further distance from the coasters if they disturb her. According to scientific research, chronic exposure to unnatural vibrations and noise can raise cortisol levels—the hormone linked to stress—and lead to behavioral disorders. Captive elephants in these conditions often display stereotypies (abnormal, repetitive behavior with no apparent purpose) such as swaying, repetitive pacing, or head bobbing, which are widely recognized as signs of psychological distress.
World Animal Protection is calling on Six Flags to move Joyce and the other elephants in the safari exhibit to reputable elephant sanctuaries, offering a more natural environment, free from the disruptive noise and vibrations of the thunderous rollercoasters so near to where she is confined. In a sanctuary, where an animal’s well-being is put above profits, Joyce would be able to engage in natural behaviors, form bonds with other elephants, and live in surroundings that respect her sensory world.
We need your help to make this a reality for Joyce. Take action today and demand Six Flags #FreeJoyce.