The scientists say the reptiles can sense a quake from 120km (75 miles) away, up to five days before it occurs and the creatures respond erratically and even smash into walls in an effort to escape.
"Of all the creatures on the Earth, snakes are perhaps the most sensitive to earthquakes," Jiang Weisong, director of the earthquake bureau in Nanning, told The China Daily and he added that:
"When an earthquake is about to occur, snakes will move out of their nests, even in the cold of winter. If the earthquake is a big one, the snakes will even smash into walls while trying to escape".
Nanning, which is prone to earthquake activity, is one of 12 Chinese cities monitored by hi-tech equipment and also has 143 animal monitoring units.
