The elephants formed an “alert circle” to protect the younger animals, the San Diego Zoo

Elephants at the San Diego Zoo formed what is known as a “crisis circle” to

The group of elephants can be seen instinctively circling an elephant calf to protect it.

A herd of elephants has been filmed huddling in a circle to protect their calves

The behaviour is known as an ‘alert circle’, a formation meant to protect elephant calves

A herd of African elephants instinctively formed an “alert circle” to protect the younger elephants