THIS is the heart warming moment a herd of elephants formed a ring of protection around their calves as an earthquake rocked San Diego Zoo.

The herd huddled together as the 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck near San Diego on Monday morning.

The moving footage shows the five elephants forming an “alert circle” around the youngest members of the group.

As the quake strikes the camera begins to shake, but the herd stands strong as they shelter their young.

San Diego Zoo said that even after the earthquake passed the herd remained huddled close together just to make sure they were safe.

The San Diego herd reportedly felt the beginnings of the quake before it struck and got into position.

Elephants have a unique ability to sense sounds through their feet.

The zoo said on X that the animals’ behavior is part of a response against “perceived threats to protect the herd“.

The earthquake was reported at 10:08 am with an epicenter about 2.5 miles from Julian, which is about 60 miles from San Diego.

An emergency alert warning residents said, “Earthquake detected!

The warning read: “Drop, cover, hold on. Protect yourself.”

At least seven aftershocks were reported after the quake.

The effects were felt in Orange County, Carlsbad, Temecula, and other areas in Southern California.

There have been no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The waves came hours after another quake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.5 struck near Julian on Sunday afternoon.

No damage was reported after the disaster.

Plus, a massive 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Fiji Islands on Monday morning.

Tremors were felt in several parts of Fiji, including on the Lautoka Islands.

The magnitude passed Fiji’s largest earthquake in 2024, which was 5.9 on the Richter scale in November.