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Wildlife officials in Sri Lanka have reported that, despite the loss of human life in the Asian disaster, there have been no recorded animal deaths.
Waves from the worst tsunami in memory sent floodwater surging up to 3.5km (two miles) inland to the island's biggest wildlife reserve.
Many tourists drowned but, to the surprise of officials, no dead animals have been found.
It has highlighted claims that animals may possess a sixth sense about danger.
Yala National Park in Sri Lanka is home to elephants, deer, jackals and crocodiles.
Sensitive to change
Praised for its conservation, the park is also considered one of the best places in the world to observe leopards.
It is now closed after floods damaged buildings and caused the deaths of tourists and employees of the park and lodge.
Yet, surprisingly, none of the park's varied wildlife is reported to have perished.
Debbie Martyr, who works on a wild tiger conservation programme on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, one of the worst-hit areas in Sunday's disaster, said she was not surprised to hear there were no dead animals.
"Wild animals in particular are extremely sensitive," she said.
"They've got extremely good hearing and they will probably have heard this flood coming in the distance.
"There would have been vibration and there may also have been changes in the air pressure which will have alerted animals and made them move to wherever they felt safer."
There are many eyewitness accounts of birds and animals migrating before earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The scientific evidence for a sixth sense is lacking, but if the reports are confirmed, they could add to the understanding of animal behaviour and possibly even be used in the future as an early warning system for humans.
Originally posted by zerb
I do think that we also have some kind of 6th sense. We just don't notice it anymore.
I'm sure you remember moments where you thought something was wrong but didn't pay attention and in the end you find out that something really was wrong.
The point is that we are just too "educated" and dependant on technology we've created that we've lost the ability to "feel" things like animals do.
. "There are thousands of dead people, and there are tens of thousands of dead animals. The people should be buried and the animals should be destroyed and disposed of before they infect the drinking water.
www.isn.ethz.ch...
Lisa Morgan, 30, a legal secretary from Chatham, Kent, clung to a tree for six hours, surrounded by human corpses and dead animals
scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com...
Aid workers were trying to dislodge corpses and dead animals from water drainpipes and wells
www.alertnet.org...
On TV, people may have seen footage of the Grand Mosque of Banda Aceh, one of the few big structures left standing, and in the yard in front of the mosque, it's litters with bloated bodies and dead animals, and
www.zmag.org...
Many refugees are sheltered in places not far from the shore which were hit by the Tsunami where one finds salt water, debris, polluted water and decomposing bodies and carcasses of dead animals
www.tamilnet.com...
Island officials say at least 3,754 people were missing amid crumbled homes, downed trees and mounds of dead animals.
www.rednova.com...
Originally posted by Byrd
This is actually a media-manufactured Urban Legend. There are, in fact, thousands of dead animals.
It was based on one news reporter, looking at the scene from a helicopter and another news reporter at a resort area. The media picked up on the dramatic announcement, conveniently forgetting what their own reporters on the scene were telling them:
Here's just a small sample of the news reports that say there are thousands of dead animals lying around. You can google for others.
. "There are thousands of dead people, and there are tens of thousands of dead animals. The people should be buried and the animals should be destroyed and disposed of before they infect the drinking water.
www.isn.ethz.ch...
Lisa Morgan, 30, a legal secretary from Chatham, Kent, clung to a tree for six hours, surrounded by human corpses and dead animals
scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com...
Aid workers were trying to dislodge corpses and dead animals from water drainpipes and wells
www.alertnet.org...
TRANSCRIPT FROM ONE OF THEIR REPORTERS:
On TV, people may have seen footage of the Grand Mosque of Banda Aceh, one of the few big structures left standing, and in the yard in front of the mosque, it's litters with bloated bodies and dead animals, and
www.zmag.org...
Many refugees are sheltered in places not far from the shore which were hit by the Tsunami where one finds salt water, debris, polluted water and decomposing bodies and carcasses of dead animals
www.tamilnet.com...
Island officials say at least 3,754 people were missing amid crumbled homes, downed trees and mounds of dead animals.
www.rednova.com...
Originally posted by Vis Mega
I really can't stress how important it is that you learn to listen to your instinct.