5 Undergraduate Research Poster Session I

Friday, 28 March 2025
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
North Great Hall

NEW OBSERVATIONS REGARDING WARNING SYSTEMS INVOLVING ANIMAL INSTINCTS: A RESOURCE FOR HELPING PREDICT NATURAL DISASTERS

Paper number: 5-37
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

Recent studies have highlighted the potential for utilizing abnormal animal behaviors as valuable precursors for a variety of natural hazards including volcanic activity, tsunamis, and earthquakes. We undertook a survey of literature for determining what kind of abnormal animal behavior was found to be closely linked to natural hazards that then occurred. Dominant patterns found included abnormalities observed in animals’ behaviors including toads disappearing, snakes coming out of hibernation, cows moving down a mountain, and videos capturing erratic dogs and birds, all before an earthquake. There were also patterns found with elephants taking high ground before a tsunami, and goats migrating down the slope of a volcano before an eruption. Results of our study clearly show the potential of harnessing erratic and abnormal animal activities as valuable precursor events in advance of natural hazards of a range of magnitudes and intensities. Advances in technology including AI and mass production of relatively inexpensive GPS-enabled micro-tags, infra-red, and satellite monitoring – all could represent the next generation of models that seek to use abnormal animal behavior as early warning systems for a variety of natural hazards.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 3

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025NE-407241

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