6. Toads Leaving Ponds Before Quakes
Research indicates that European common toads (Bufo bufo) exhibit altered behavior prior to seismic events. A study published in the *Journal of Zoology* observed that toads abandoned their breeding ponds five days before an earthquake in L’Aquila, Italy, in April 2009. This behavior coincided with pre-seismic perturbations in the ionosphere, detected by very low frequency (VLF) radio sounding. The study suggests that toads may respond to environmental changes associated with impending earthquakes. (zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)