The ability of animals to anticipate coming earthquakes : a possibility for dogs to predict an earthquake

1995年1月17日に阪神・淡路大震災が発生した。神戸市など震源地周辺で飼育されていたイヌのうち約20%が地震発生前に異常行動を示したことが地震発生後の調査によって報告された。本研究では，イヌの示した異常行動の原因は地震前に発生する電磁波を感知したためではないかとの仮説のもと，人工的に発生させた電磁波をイヌに照射し，照射後の行動および神経内分泌学的な変化を観察した。
There were lots of reports concerning the unusual behavior of animals before the Great Hanshin Earthquake on January 17, 1995, although those cases were reported after the earthquake. About 20 % of dogs which were kept at Kobe and its neighboring areas showed unusual behavior: dogs that seldom barked howled; dogs that were always gentle bit their owners suddenly; dogs showed no appetite; dogs were severely frightened; dogs were eager to go out their homes, etc. We hypothesize that those dogs sensed extraordinary changes in their unusual environment, for example, an abnormal production of electromagnetic wave (EMW). In this study we exposed the unusual EMW, which was observed before the earthquake, to dogs, and examined the changes in their behavior and neuroendocrine parameters. Finally we have found dogs having the ability to sense the EMW observed before and at the Great Hanshin Earthquake.