Can Animals in Oklahoma Tell If There’s An Earthquake Coming?

Recently, some people in Oklahoma have reported feeling the shakes of multiple earthquakes around the central part of the state. While it's not unheard of to feel tremors here, it can also be hard to tell if we truly are feeling an earthquake since they don't happen often.

But one way we all can tell when Mother Nature is bringing her worst is by paying attention to the signs. Not stop signs, or measurements, but to the signs that animals show us naturally.

We use groundhogs to tell us if we're going to have a long winter, and we use cattle to tell if we're going to get some rain. Can we tell that an earthquake is happening if we pay close attention to the animals, too?

What Animals in Oklahoma Are Said To Do Before An Earthquake

Unfortunately, science says that there isn't enough consistent evidence of animals reacting a certain way because they know an earthquake is coming. There have been notes made of specific incidents, such as the earliest report of animals leaving their homes in search of safety days before an earthquake.

Other reports have said animals seemed agitated, changed their patterns, were super active, and reactive. Again, these signs have not been reported consistently enough, though, to say that these signs lead directly to an earthquake coming.

One animal knows best when it comes to earthquakes, and they're rare in Oklahoma.

Only select animals can feel when there are changes happening, but there's one tride and true animal that science says can tell when there's an earthquake best: elephants.

Elephants have special nerve endings in their feet that can feel even the smallest of differences in the ground. Usually, if they feel an earthquake happening, the adults will circle around the calves to protect them, as if they were in danger.

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There is an elephant sanctuary, the Endangered Ark Foundation, in Hugo, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City Zoo and the Tulsa Zoo also have elephants housed in their facilities.

Why Observations Matter - Even Without Prediction

Earthquakes aren't just terrifying, but they can do some destruction, as well. One of the strongest Oklahoma has ever seen happened nearly ten years ago, on September 3, 2016. The 5.8 magnitude earthquake caused moderate damage by collapsing chimneys and minimal structural damages to buildings near Pawnee, Oklahoma.

When the Pawnee earthquake hit, scientists were concerned that an even stronger quake could be in the future for Oklahoma. And we still can't rule that out completely. Instead, it's best to be prepared.