sarahness

Researchers have discovered that toads are able to detect earthquakes up to five days in advance.

The discovery was made after studying a population of common toads outside L’Aquila in central Italy.

They noticed that even though it was the creature’s important breeding season, 96 per cent of the male toads abandoned the area five days before the earthquake struck in April.

Breeding sites are male-dominated and the toads would normally remain in situ from the point that breeding activity begins, to the completion of spawning.

“Our study is one of the first to document animal behaviour before, during and after an earthquake,” said lead author Dr Rachel Grant.

“Our findings suggest that toads are able to detect pre-seismic cues such as the release of gases and charged particles, and use these as a form of earthquake early warning system.”

It is believed that just before an earthquake radon gas and gravity waves are released from the earth which are then reflected back by the atmosphere and detected by the toads.