Animal Perception of Seismic and Non-Seismic Earthquake Phenomena, Part 2

Certain non-seismic geophysical (electric, magnetic, air ionization, non-thermal infrared) phenomena are known to be associated with, and often precede, major earthquakes. Also, much anecdotal evidence exists concerning anomalous behavior of various animal species before large earthquakes. Theories have been put forward that may explain the anomalous behavior in terms of those non-seismic geophysical phenomena, but real-world scientific evidence of these ideas is missing still. Our study “Animal Perception of Seismic and Non-Seismic Earthquake Phenomena”, which is supported by Red Bull Media House, Salzburg, Austria, aims at getting some decisive step forward from anecdotal to scientific evidence of those interdependencies, and show their possible use in forecasting seismic hazard on a short-term basis. Field activities are focused on Sumatra, Indonesia. In Indonesia, indeed, before the earthquake and tsunami of 2004, ominous geophysical as well as biological phenomena occurred (but were realized as precursors only in retrospect); numerous comparable stories can be told from other times and regions. Nearly 2000 perceptible earthquakes (> M 3.5) occur each year in Indonesia (c. 200 registered in international databanks in most years, but c. 1800 in 2005). Furthermore, in 2007, the government has launched a program, focused on West Sumatra, for investigating earthquake precursors. Therefore, Indonesia, and Sumatra in particular, is an excellent target area for a study concerning possible interconnections between geophysical and biological earthquake precursors. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Civil Engineering, Vienna, Austria, and Syiah Kuala University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, cooperate in this enterprise. Geophysical and atmospheric measurements and behavioral observation of several animal species (rat, catfish, domestic pig, cattle, water buffalo) are conducted in 3 areas of Sumatra, of different geological and seismological character, in order to look for behavioral correlates of seismic and non-seismic (seismic, magnetic, air ionization) earthquake phenomena and their usefulness for earthquake forecasting.