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AlwaysABiggerFish is a possible cause for this. See also EvilDetectingDog, PortentOfDoom, BatScare, DisturbedDoves, AStormIsComing, ScaredOfWhatsBehindYou, InvadingRefugees, and FollowTheChaos. Compare DontAskJustRun.
to:
AlwaysABiggerFish is a possible cause for this. See also EvilDetectingDog, PortentOfDoom, BatScare, DisturbedDoves, AStormIsComing, ScaredOfWhatsBehindYou, InvadingRefugees, and FollowTheChaos. Compare DontAskJustRun.
DontAskJustRun. If the animals or birds have already left the area before the protagonists arrive, see ItsQuietTooQuiet.
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** ''BugsBunny'' short "Super-Rabbit": after acquiring super powers similar to Franchise/{{Superman}}'s, Bugs flies to Texas to check out a man who hates rabbits and plans to kill all of them. When he arrives in Texas he finds a multitude of rabbits all running in the same direction. One of them tells Bugs "Run for your life! It's Cottontail Smith and he's gone plumb loco!". A few seconds later Smith appears holding a rifle.
to:
** ''BugsBunny'' ''WesternAnimation/BugsBunny'' short "Super-Rabbit": after acquiring super powers similar to Franchise/{{Superman}}'s, Bugs flies to Texas to check out a man who hates rabbits and plans to kill all of them. When he arrives in Texas he finds a multitude of rabbits all running in the same direction. One of them tells Bugs "Run for your life! It's Cottontail Smith and he's gone plumb loco!". A few seconds later Smith appears holding a rifle.
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* It's never been properly scientifically tested but anecdotal evidence claims that animals have a sixth sense about impeding storms and natural disasters and will flee or behave strangely before they hit. [[http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/tsunamis-and-animal-sixth-sense-warnings-110311.htm A more pragmatic explanation may simply be that they have evolved keener senses to air pressure, scent or vibrantions than humans have had to.]]
to:
* It's never been properly scientifically tested but anecdotal evidence claims that animals have a sixth sense about impeding storms and natural disasters and will flee or behave strangely before they hit. [[http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/tsunamis-and-animal-sixth-sense-warnings-110311.htm A more pragmatic explanation may simply be that they have evolved keener senses to air pressure, scent or vibrantions vibrations than humans have had to.]]
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* In the film adaptation of Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{Dreamcatcher}}'', Our Intrepid Heroes see a mass migration of all sorts of wildlife from their hunting cabin in the middle of the forest. One guy asks where they're all going, and one of his friend asks, "Better question... what are they all running from?"
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One good sign of impending trouble is a swarm of animals fleeing away from it. Often people find themselves in front of said fleeing swarm without realizing the reason they're fleeing. Alternatively, they take it as a sign they're getting close to the source of the trouble if they're intentionally investigating it.
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One good sign of impending trouble is a swarm of animals fleeing away from it.it, especially if they're predators. Often people find themselves in front of said fleeing swarm without realizing the reason they're fleeing. Alternatively, they take it as a sign they're getting close to the source of the trouble if they're intentionally investigating it.
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[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* In a docudrama depicting the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano, the protagonists finally attain confirmation that an eruption is imminent. One of the scientists tries to play it down, in the hope that it won't be a major eruption. They're shaken by a massive rumbling, and discover a massive herd of bison evacuating the park. Only then does the cast realize how big the impending eruption will be.
* In a docudrama depicting the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano, the protagonists finally attain confirmation that an eruption is imminent. One of the scientists tries to play it down, in the hope that it won't be a major eruption. They're shaken by a massive rumbling, and discover a massive herd of bison evacuating the park. Only then does the cast realize how big the impending eruption will be.
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** Later, the spirits are once again fleeing, though this time they're evacuating from Republic City because of [[BigBad Kuvira]]'s impending assault on the city.
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** Episodes involving the Tasmanian Devil usual begins with all sorts of animals fleeing.
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** Episodes involving the Tasmanian Devil usual usually begins with all sorts of animals fleeing.
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* At the beginning of the Series in the Saiyan Saga prior to the battle with Vegeta and Nappa, several hordes of animals including Dinosaurs are shown fleeing the area where the battle will take place.
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* At the beginning of the Series in the Saiyan Saga prior to the battle with Vegeta and Nappa, several hordes of animals including Dinosaurs are shown fleeing the area where the battle will take place.
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* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the area - i.e. reducing the air temperature to below zero. Eventually the robots plan to [[HostileTerraforming reduce the entire Earth to -200 degrees Fahrenheit]] and turn it into an [[SingleBiomePlanet Ice Planet]].
to:
* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the area - i.e. reducing the air temperature to below zero. Eventually the robots plan to [[HostileTerraforming reduce the entire Earth to -200 degrees Fahrenheit]] and turn it into an [[SingleBiomePlanet Ice Planet]].\n
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* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the area - i.e. reducing the air temperature to below zero. Eventually the robots plan to reduce the entire Earth to -200 degrees Fahrenheit and turn it into an [[SingleBiomePlanet Ice Planet]].
to:
* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the area - i.e. reducing the air temperature to below zero. Eventually the robots plan to [[HostileTerraforming reduce the entire Earth to -200 degrees Fahrenheit Fahrenheit]] and turn it into an [[SingleBiomePlanet Ice Planet]].
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* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the entire area - i.e. reducing the air temperature to below zero.
to:
* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the entire area - i.e. reducing the air temperature to below zero.
zero. Eventually the robots plan to reduce the entire Earth to -200 degrees Fahrenheit and turn it into an [[SingleBiomePlanet Ice Planet]].
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* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the entire area (i.e. making it extremely cold).
to:
* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the entire area (i.- i.e. making it extremely cold).
reducing the air temperature to below zero.
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!!Examples:
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!!Examples
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* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the entire area (i.e. making it extremely cold).
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* In ''Manga/{{Toriko}}'', when the fight between Horse King Heracles and [[spoiler:Toriko's Blue Oni]] gets serious, all of the animals ''on the entire continent'' flee in panic.
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Homer: [[TimmyInAWell What is it, boy? Fire? Earthquake? Hippies?]]\\
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Homer: Somehow, the animals are always the first to know.
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** This might be a partial adversion as the pokemon were rushing TOWARD the potential scene of disaster and not away from it, in the apparent attempt to prevent/fix the disaster harming their world even though they might lack the power to do anything about it. Curiously though, when the actual major events happen, we don't see any pokemon other than the major characters become involved. It still plays straight how they were able to apparently predict not only that something was going wrong (although that was becoming more apparent with abberant weather conditions) but also head in the proper direction to do so.
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** This might be a partial adversion an inversion as the pokemon Pokemon were rushing TOWARD the potential scene of disaster and not away from it, in the apparent attempt to prevent/fix the disaster harming their world even though they might lack the power to do anything about it. Curiously though, when the actual major events happen, we don't see any pokemon Pokemon other than the major characters become involved. It still plays straight how they were able to apparently predict not only that something was going wrong (although that was becoming more apparent with abberant weather conditions) but also head in the proper direction to do so.
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** This might be a partial adversion as the pokemon were rushing TOWARD the potential scene of disaster and not away from it, in the apparent attempt to prevent/fix the disaster harming their world even though they might lack the power to do anything about it. Curiously though, when the actual major events happen, we don't see any pokemon other than the major characters become involved.
to:
** This might be a partial adversion as the pokemon were rushing TOWARD the potential scene of disaster and not away from it, in the apparent attempt to prevent/fix the disaster harming their world even though they might lack the power to do anything about it. Curiously though, when the actual major events happen, we don't see any pokemon other than the major characters become involved.
involved. It still plays straight how they were able to apparently predict not only that something was going wrong (although that was becoming more apparent with abberant weather conditions) but also head in the proper direction to do so.
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added a note to the pokemon movie example.
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** This might be a partial adversion as the pokemon were rushing TOWARD the potential scene of disaster and not away from it, in the apparent attempt to prevent/fix the disaster harming their world even though they might lack the power to do anything about it. Curiously though, when the actual major events happen, we don't see any pokemon other than the major characters become involved.
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* The fifth level of the original ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'' is set in a quiet Italian village. At one point, a pack of stray dogs runs on the street, signaling the arrival of that level's boss. This idea is never used again in the series.
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AlwaysABiggerFish is a possible cause for this. See also EvilDetectingDog, PortentOfDoom, BatScare, DisturbedDoves, AStormIsComing, ScaredOfWhatsBehindYou, and InvadingRefugees. Compare DontAskJustRun.
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AlwaysABiggerFish is a possible cause for this. See also EvilDetectingDog, PortentOfDoom, BatScare, DisturbedDoves, AStormIsComing, ScaredOfWhatsBehindYou, InvadingRefugees, and InvadingRefugees.FollowTheChaos. Compare DontAskJustRun.
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* Flocks of crows sound the alarm in ''Disney/{{Bambi]]'' whenever Man approaches.
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* Flocks of crows sound the alarm in ''Disney/{{Bambi]]'' ''Disney/{{Bambi}}'' whenever Man approaches.
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* In ''Disney/{{Pinocchio}}'', Pinoch and Jiminy look for Monstro the whale under water, and every time they ask the sea creatures, they swim away in terror. Later, they run into a fleeing school of tuna, with a hungry Monstro close behind.
* Flocks of crows sound the alarm in ''Disney/{{Bambi]]'' whenever Man approaches.
* In ''WesternAnimation/FerngullyTheLastRainforest'', Crysta flies over the canopy for the first time and sees a plume of smoke over the horizon. She is then overcome by a flock of birds fleeing the source of the smoke - a human logging team.
* While on a field trip in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAForest'', Cornelius and his young students regard a large flight of birds of assorted species all flying away from Dapplewood, screeching in alarm. This signals to the party that some disaster has befallen Dapplewood, and the young ones need to return home at once to assess the damage.
* Flocks of crows sound the alarm in ''Disney/{{Bambi]]'' whenever Man approaches.
* In ''WesternAnimation/FerngullyTheLastRainforest'', Crysta flies over the canopy for the first time and sees a plume of smoke over the horizon. She is then overcome by a flock of birds fleeing the source of the smoke - a human logging team.
* While on a field trip in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAForest'', Cornelius and his young students regard a large flight of birds of assorted species all flying away from Dapplewood, screeching in alarm. This signals to the party that some disaster has befallen Dapplewood, and the young ones need to return home at once to assess the damage.
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* While on a field trip in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAForest'', Cornelius and his young students regard a large flight of birds of assorted species all flying away from Dapplewood, screeching in alarm. This signals to the party that some disaster has befallen Dapplewood, and the young ones need to return home at once to assess the damage.
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* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}'': When [[TreeOfEvil the Morbuzakh]] occupied the Great Furnace, it forced out the Furnace Salamanders. The event did not seem significant to Matoran though.
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* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}'': When [[TreeOfEvil [[WhenTreesAttack the Morbuzakh]] occupied the Great Furnace, it forced out the Furnace Salamanders. The event did not seem significant to Matoran though.
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* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}'': When [[PlantMonsters the Morbuzakh]] occupied the Great Furnace, it forced out the Furnace Salamanders. The event did not seem significant to Matoran though.
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* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}'': When [[PlantMonsters [[TreeOfEvil the Morbuzakh]] occupied the Great Furnace, it forced out the Furnace Salamanders. The event did not seem significant to Matoran though.
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[[AC:Toys]]
* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}'': When [[PlantMonsters the Morbuzakh]] occupied the Great Furnace, it forced out the Furnace Salamanders. The event did not seem significant to Matoran though.
* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}'': When [[PlantMonsters the Morbuzakh]] occupied the Great Furnace, it forced out the Furnace Salamanders. The event did not seem significant to Matoran though.
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One good sign of impending trouble is a swarm of animals fleeing away from it. Often people find themselves in front of said fleeing swarm without realizing the reason they're fleeing. Alternatively, they take it as a sign they're getting close to the source of the trouble if they're intentionally investigating it.
AlwaysABiggerFish is a possible cause for this. See also EvilDetectingDog, PortentOfDoom, BatScare, DisturbedDoves, AStormIsComing, ScaredOfWhatsBehindYou, and InvadingRefugees. Compare DontAskJustRun.
----
!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': While flying to join the fight against the ancient resurrected evil Majin Buu, Goten and Trunks run into a flock of frightened birds coming from the direction of the battle.
* In ''Anime/{{Pokemon 2000}}'', the wild Pokemon start reacting to the impeding disaster that will summon Lugia. Professor Oak mentions that Pokemon are much more in tune with nature than humans.
[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* Invoked in ''Disney/TheLionKing'', when Scar has the hyenas cause a wildebeest stampede as a trap for both Simba and Mufasa.
* In the beginning of ''Disney/{{Dinosaur}}'', a young ''Parasaurolophus'' chases a flying lizard into a thicket when he realizes he's not alone in there. He bolts out, drawing the attention of all the other dinosaurs right before a hungry ''Carnotaurus'' comes charging out.
* In ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'', a flock of ratbirds and Flint's pet monkey Steve are seen fleeing just before the big food storm.
* ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow''. When Sam, Brian, and Laura arrive in New York, they're puzzled to find countless flocks of squawking birds flying south. Dissolve to another scene at the zoo where all of the animals are raising ruckus, much to the zookeepers' confusion.
* At the beginning of ''Film/DennisTheMenace'', after Mr. Wilson grabs his morning paper, he can hear the sounds of a bicycle bell dinging and empty cans tumbling behind, which is followed by a squirrel scurrying up a tree, flocks of birds shooting out of shrubs, and cats crashing into each other as they flee... all of which can mean one thing: Dennis is heading this way.
* ''{{Earthquake}}'' (1975): a seismologist is setting some sensors inside a fault located in a farmer's field. The farm animals all go running just before a tremor causes the fissure to cave in on the hapless scientist.
* When farmer Fitzgibbons starts up his tractor in Creator/DonBluth's ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH'', Auntie Shrew sounds the alarm: "Run for your lives! It's Moving Day!" All the critters in the east field bug out, as the farmer's plow tends to obliterate anything in its path.
* ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'': The Trade Federation's invasion panics the animals of Naboo, who all race to get away, heedless of the Jedi trying to keep from getting trampled, or the Gungan who just stands there like an idiot.
* ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'': Dory and Marlin are arguing that it's just as good the whale they were trying to talk to swam away, since he might have been hungry. Dory counters that whales only eat krill. Cue a cloud of krill swimming past them with a whale's open maw right behind them.
* In the film of ''LordOfTheRings'', the hobbits are hiding from the Nazgul behind a log, and notice all manner of bugs scurrying away from it.
* ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'': In the Golden Gate Bridge scene, a huge flock of sea gulls fly past the bridge, signalling that Godzilla is approaching.
* In ''Film/{{Melancholia}}'', as the planet Melancholia is on death course towards Earth, insects, worms and other insects start to surface the ground, signing the disturbances that happen in nature due to the gravitational pull of the approaching planet.
[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* Sun Tzu, in ''Literature/TheArtOfWar'' counsels being alert for this as it may indicate enemy movement.
* In the book ''Methuselah's Gift'', the story begins with the animals of the forest -- including the family of racoons it centers around -- running in unison from the fire.
* In the first chapter of ''Nomads of Literature/{{Gor}}'', Tarl sees people and animals fleeing in anticipation of the coming of the Wagon Peoples [sic], four fierce nomadic tribes who come together once every few years to discuss the possibility of making war on the city dwellers. Even a larl (a tigerlike animal the size of a small elephant) is seen trotting away.
* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'', Harry and Ron find a swarm of spiders leaving Hogwarts by an open window and heading for the forest. They later find out that the castle is home to a monster that spiders consider their mortal enemy: [[spoiler:the basilisk]].
* ''Literature/TheZombieSurvivalGuide'' mentions that all animal life on earth instinctively fears and runs away from zombies, so a conspicuous absence of animals or animal noise might be your first clue that the undead are nearby.
[[AC:TabletopGames]]
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': 1st Edition ''Deities & Demigods Cyclopedia'', Franchise/CthulhuMythos chapter. All natural creatures are sensitive to the presence of Franchise/CthulhuMythos monsters. If they detect any such creatures they will give a warning call and flee at maximum speed. Clever {{PC}}s can use this to their advantage.
* In ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'', some of the fluff implies that the [[HordeOfAlienLocusts Tyranids]] aren't invading the universe as much as being a much more aggressive example of this.
[[AC:VideoGames]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{FEAR}}'' and its sequel, rats can sometimes be seen running en mass down some streets when you're headed towards something unpleasant.
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'': In Duskwood, after helping Abercrombie with his project, he asks you to bring a note to the mayor of Darkshire, after which someone runs in with news that wolves are running out of the woods, as though fleeing something, the abomination you unwittingly helped create.
[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', this was done with spirits instead of animals. A bunch of spirits were fleeing from Raava and Vaatu since their fight could cause collateral damage.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** ''BugsBunny'' short "Super-Rabbit": after acquiring super powers similar to Franchise/{{Superman}}'s, Bugs flies to Texas to check out a man who hates rabbits and plans to kill all of them. When he arrives in Texas he finds a multitude of rabbits all running in the same direction. One of them tells Bugs "Run for your life! It's Cottontail Smith and he's gone plumb loco!". A few seconds later Smith appears holding a rifle.
** Episodes involving the Tasmanian Devil usual begins with all sorts of animals fleeing.
* While on a field trip in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAForest'', Cornelius and his young students regard a large flight of birds of assorted species all flying away from Dapplewood, screeching in alarm. This signals to the party that some disaster has befallen Dapplewood, and the young ones need to return home at once to assess the damage.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E8HurricaneNeddy Hurricane Neddy]]": As a hurricane nears Springfield, Homer sees some animals literally blowing in the wind and he reacts as if they're "magically" able to sense when a hurricane is coming.
-->''Santa's Little Helper struggles to move forward against the wind.''\\
Homer: [[TimmyInAWell What is it, boy? Fire? Earthquake? Hippies?]]\\
''The wind overpowers SLH and blows him backwards into the air.''\\
Homer: Somehow, the animals are always the first to know.
* At the beginning of the ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' episode, "Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow", Babs (as Tinkerbunny) is introducing the show when she gets run over by a swarm of animals, who are running from Elmyra Duff. A minute or so later, the animals run past Buster's burrow. Babs is now part of the swarm and warns Buster that Elmyra is coming.
[[AC:RealLife]]
* It's never been properly scientifically tested but anecdotal evidence claims that animals have a sixth sense about impeding storms and natural disasters and will flee or behave strangely before they hit. [[http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/tsunamis-and-animal-sixth-sense-warnings-110311.htm A more pragmatic explanation may simply be that they have evolved keener senses to air pressure, scent or vibrantions than humans have had to.]]
* Animals start running the same direction if there's a forest fire.
** A particularly famous example is the 2004 Asian Tsunami which had significantly fewer animal causalities than would be expected and a lot of stories about strange behavior beforehand.
* Some people have a sense for storms or respond physiologically to weather changes. [[http://www.weather.com/newscenter/topstories/health/achesandpains/010712pressurearthritis.html Particularly aching joints or bones.]] But most humans can't up and flee even if they wanted to.
* During a [[{{UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar}} American Civil War]] era battle, deer were startled by Nathan Bedford Forrest's [[{{UsefulNotes/RebelsWithRepeaters}} cavalry]]. The deer ran through a Union Army camp minutes before the Confederates arrived. The startled troops then were nearly wiped out.
----
AlwaysABiggerFish is a possible cause for this. See also EvilDetectingDog, PortentOfDoom, BatScare, DisturbedDoves, AStormIsComing, ScaredOfWhatsBehindYou, and InvadingRefugees. Compare DontAskJustRun.
----
!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': While flying to join the fight against the ancient resurrected evil Majin Buu, Goten and Trunks run into a flock of frightened birds coming from the direction of the battle.
* In ''Anime/{{Pokemon 2000}}'', the wild Pokemon start reacting to the impeding disaster that will summon Lugia. Professor Oak mentions that Pokemon are much more in tune with nature than humans.
[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* Invoked in ''Disney/TheLionKing'', when Scar has the hyenas cause a wildebeest stampede as a trap for both Simba and Mufasa.
* In the beginning of ''Disney/{{Dinosaur}}'', a young ''Parasaurolophus'' chases a flying lizard into a thicket when he realizes he's not alone in there. He bolts out, drawing the attention of all the other dinosaurs right before a hungry ''Carnotaurus'' comes charging out.
* In ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'', a flock of ratbirds and Flint's pet monkey Steve are seen fleeing just before the big food storm.
* ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow''. When Sam, Brian, and Laura arrive in New York, they're puzzled to find countless flocks of squawking birds flying south. Dissolve to another scene at the zoo where all of the animals are raising ruckus, much to the zookeepers' confusion.
* At the beginning of ''Film/DennisTheMenace'', after Mr. Wilson grabs his morning paper, he can hear the sounds of a bicycle bell dinging and empty cans tumbling behind, which is followed by a squirrel scurrying up a tree, flocks of birds shooting out of shrubs, and cats crashing into each other as they flee... all of which can mean one thing: Dennis is heading this way.
* ''{{Earthquake}}'' (1975): a seismologist is setting some sensors inside a fault located in a farmer's field. The farm animals all go running just before a tremor causes the fissure to cave in on the hapless scientist.
* When farmer Fitzgibbons starts up his tractor in Creator/DonBluth's ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH'', Auntie Shrew sounds the alarm: "Run for your lives! It's Moving Day!" All the critters in the east field bug out, as the farmer's plow tends to obliterate anything in its path.
* ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'': The Trade Federation's invasion panics the animals of Naboo, who all race to get away, heedless of the Jedi trying to keep from getting trampled, or the Gungan who just stands there like an idiot.
* ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'': Dory and Marlin are arguing that it's just as good the whale they were trying to talk to swam away, since he might have been hungry. Dory counters that whales only eat krill. Cue a cloud of krill swimming past them with a whale's open maw right behind them.
* In the film of ''LordOfTheRings'', the hobbits are hiding from the Nazgul behind a log, and notice all manner of bugs scurrying away from it.
* ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'': In the Golden Gate Bridge scene, a huge flock of sea gulls fly past the bridge, signalling that Godzilla is approaching.
* In ''Film/{{Melancholia}}'', as the planet Melancholia is on death course towards Earth, insects, worms and other insects start to surface the ground, signing the disturbances that happen in nature due to the gravitational pull of the approaching planet.
[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* Sun Tzu, in ''Literature/TheArtOfWar'' counsels being alert for this as it may indicate enemy movement.
* In the book ''Methuselah's Gift'', the story begins with the animals of the forest -- including the family of racoons it centers around -- running in unison from the fire.
* In the first chapter of ''Nomads of Literature/{{Gor}}'', Tarl sees people and animals fleeing in anticipation of the coming of the Wagon Peoples [sic], four fierce nomadic tribes who come together once every few years to discuss the possibility of making war on the city dwellers. Even a larl (a tigerlike animal the size of a small elephant) is seen trotting away.
* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'', Harry and Ron find a swarm of spiders leaving Hogwarts by an open window and heading for the forest. They later find out that the castle is home to a monster that spiders consider their mortal enemy: [[spoiler:the basilisk]].
* ''Literature/TheZombieSurvivalGuide'' mentions that all animal life on earth instinctively fears and runs away from zombies, so a conspicuous absence of animals or animal noise might be your first clue that the undead are nearby.
[[AC:TabletopGames]]
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': 1st Edition ''Deities & Demigods Cyclopedia'', Franchise/CthulhuMythos chapter. All natural creatures are sensitive to the presence of Franchise/CthulhuMythos monsters. If they detect any such creatures they will give a warning call and flee at maximum speed. Clever {{PC}}s can use this to their advantage.
* In ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'', some of the fluff implies that the [[HordeOfAlienLocusts Tyranids]] aren't invading the universe as much as being a much more aggressive example of this.
[[AC:VideoGames]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{FEAR}}'' and its sequel, rats can sometimes be seen running en mass down some streets when you're headed towards something unpleasant.
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'': In Duskwood, after helping Abercrombie with his project, he asks you to bring a note to the mayor of Darkshire, after which someone runs in with news that wolves are running out of the woods, as though fleeing something, the abomination you unwittingly helped create.
[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', this was done with spirits instead of animals. A bunch of spirits were fleeing from Raava and Vaatu since their fight could cause collateral damage.
* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
** ''BugsBunny'' short "Super-Rabbit": after acquiring super powers similar to Franchise/{{Superman}}'s, Bugs flies to Texas to check out a man who hates rabbits and plans to kill all of them. When he arrives in Texas he finds a multitude of rabbits all running in the same direction. One of them tells Bugs "Run for your life! It's Cottontail Smith and he's gone plumb loco!". A few seconds later Smith appears holding a rifle.
** Episodes involving the Tasmanian Devil usual begins with all sorts of animals fleeing.
* While on a field trip in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAForest'', Cornelius and his young students regard a large flight of birds of assorted species all flying away from Dapplewood, screeching in alarm. This signals to the party that some disaster has befallen Dapplewood, and the young ones need to return home at once to assess the damage.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E8HurricaneNeddy Hurricane Neddy]]": As a hurricane nears Springfield, Homer sees some animals literally blowing in the wind and he reacts as if they're "magically" able to sense when a hurricane is coming.
-->''Santa's Little Helper struggles to move forward against the wind.''\\
Homer: [[TimmyInAWell What is it, boy? Fire? Earthquake? Hippies?]]\\
''The wind overpowers SLH and blows him backwards into the air.''\\
Homer: Somehow, the animals are always the first to know.
* At the beginning of the ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' episode, "Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow", Babs (as Tinkerbunny) is introducing the show when she gets run over by a swarm of animals, who are running from Elmyra Duff. A minute or so later, the animals run past Buster's burrow. Babs is now part of the swarm and warns Buster that Elmyra is coming.
[[AC:RealLife]]
* It's never been properly scientifically tested but anecdotal evidence claims that animals have a sixth sense about impeding storms and natural disasters and will flee or behave strangely before they hit. [[http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/tsunamis-and-animal-sixth-sense-warnings-110311.htm A more pragmatic explanation may simply be that they have evolved keener senses to air pressure, scent or vibrantions than humans have had to.]]
* Animals start running the same direction if there's a forest fire.
** A particularly famous example is the 2004 Asian Tsunami which had significantly fewer animal causalities than would be expected and a lot of stories about strange behavior beforehand.
* Some people have a sense for storms or respond physiologically to weather changes. [[http://www.weather.com/newscenter/topstories/health/achesandpains/010712pressurearthritis.html Particularly aching joints or bones.]] But most humans can't up and flee even if they wanted to.
* During a [[{{UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar}} American Civil War]] era battle, deer were startled by Nathan Bedford Forrest's [[{{UsefulNotes/RebelsWithRepeaters}} cavalry]]. The deer ran through a Union Army camp minutes before the Confederates arrived. The startled troops then were nearly wiped out.
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