Southern California hasn't stopped shaking since a major 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck San Diego on Monday.
In the hours since the quake, which hit just after 10am PT, there have been over two dozen additional earthquakes in nearly the same exact area of San Diego, known as Julian.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), every one of these aftershocks has registered at 2.0 magnitude or higher.
That included another significant 4.0 magnitude quake that struck less than a mile from the original earthquake around 11:23am PT on Monday.
The initial 5.2 magnitude earthquake was strong enough that residents in nearby Los Angeles also felt the major seismic event - which was one of the strongest recorded in the San Diego area.
However, humans weren't the only people who felt this major earthquake, as cameras in homes and zoos caught wildlife making jaw-dropping decisions during the terrifying shaking.
The San Diego Zoo released one incredible video of their elephant population probably showing a lot more poise than some humans did during the quake Monday.
Sharing the video on X, zoo officials captured the moment when the adult elephants formed an 'alert circle' to protect the younger members of their herd.
The earthquake struck around 10 a.m. PT and was felt across Southern California , including across Los Angeles
Elephants at the San Diego Zoo were seen forming an 'alert circle' during Monday's 5.2 magnitude earthquake to protect the youngest members of the herd
An elephant 'alert circle' is a defensive formation where elephants, typically females, position themselves in a tight circle around vulnerable herd members, including calves, birthing mothers, or injured elephants.
This protects them from perceived threats like predators or environmental dangers - in this case, a major earthquake.
The adults face outward, often with heads up, ears spread, and may kick up dust or vocalize to deter threats, creating a physically intimidating barrier.
Mindy Albright, curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo, said that this behavior showcases the strong social bonds and cooperative nature of elephant herds, particularly among group led by females.
'Elephants have an incredible sense of hearing — they can feel sound through their feet — so you can see them pause after they all formed the alert circle to see if they could get any more information from the environment,' Albright told the LA Times.
'Elephants are very unique,' she continued. 'I think one of the things that makes them so likable is their connectedness to each other, which you can really see in moments like these.'
Elephants weren't the only ones getting spooked by the strong quake Monday. Home security cameras also caught plenty of pet dogs fleeing their homes as soon as the shaking started.
Just like during firework celebrations, the massive shaking and banging can distress dogs, who instinctively seek out open spaces or a familiar 'safe zone' to hide - a survival trait that goes back to the dog's undomesticated ancestors.
Interestingly, many of these dogs might have known a quake was coming, as studies have shown that many animals can sense an earthquake before it strikes.
Mindy Albright, curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo, said that this behavior showcases the strong social bonds and cooperative nature of elephant herds, particularly among group led by females
In fact, scientists with USGS have been looking at this phenomenon since 1976, when a team found that several difference species display strange behavior just before an earthquake takes place.
That study published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America revealed that dogs, cats, birds, and even livestock all became more agitated hours before a seismic event.
In 2020, a similar study in Ethology found farm animals may have known an earthquake was coming nearly a day in advance.
Researchers found that dogs in particular grew increased restless up to 20 hours before the actual earthquake, and their behavior was even worse if the quake was stronger than 4.0 in magnitude.
Despite experiencing a barrage of quakes for nearly 24 hours, none of the new tremors have exceeded San Diego's 5.2 magnitude from Monday morning.
Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 in magnitude are often felt but only cause minor damage.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria addressed the strong earthquake on X.
'There’s no known visible or major damage to the city so far and I’m in communication with local, state, and federal officials,' he said.
San Diego does not sit on the infamous San Andreas fault, like Los Angeles and San Francisco, but it does have several active faults of it own.
These include the San Jacinto Fault, the Elsinore Fault, and the Rose Canyon Fault - which geologists believe is capable of producing devastating 6.5 to 7.0-magnitude earthquakes.
Monday's quake and the 26 minor earthquakes that have taken place over the last day were closest to the Elsinore Fault. The epicenter of the seismic event is located less than three miles south of Julian.
