8.2 Magnitude Earthquake: Thai Scholar Reveals Rare Footage of Fish "Playing Dead" to Avoid Seismic Activity

Recently, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.2 struck Myanmar, causing significant damage to local structures and resulting in casualties. The seismic event also triggered unusual reactions from marine life in nearby waters. For the first time, Thailand has documented fish behavior during an earthquake, with coral reef fish observed collectively pressing against the seabed in a rare "static" posture.

Assistant Professor Thon Thamrongnawasawat from the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University shared images showing this phenomenon. The photos were provided by volunteers monitoring dugongs at Similan National Marine Park. During the earthquake, the fish suddenly stopped their usual swimming activities and gathered near the seabed, appearing to "lie flat" as a collective defense mechanism.

Professor Thon noted that this behavior is extremely unusual because fish are typically active during the day and only rest individually at night, not gathering on the seabed. Scientific analysis suggests that fish possess excellent sensory capabilities, allowing them to detect subtle underwater vibrations, possibly sensing the initial seismic waves. Although they cannot predict earthquakes accurately, fish may instinctively choose to press against the seabed to reduce the risk of displacement from turbulence or tsunamis, similar to humans taking cover during earthquakes.

Additionally, volunteers observed dugongs, often referred to as "mermaids of the sea", quickly fleeing shallow waters and swimming towards deeper areas to avoid potential dangers. Due to their rapid movement, there were no reported cases of dugongs being washed ashore during the earthquake, highlighting the high alertness of large marine mammals to seismic events. Although the earthquake did not trigger a major tsunami, the collective avoidance behavior of fish provides valuable evidence that animals can sense earthquakes.

Professor Thon emphasized that this is the first clear documentation of fish behavior during an earthquake in Thailand, offering potential directions for developing animal early warning systems in the future.