Why are elephants afraid of mice? Why does a huge elephant fear a small mouse? Elephants are afraid of mice, myth busters.
Animal world so diverse and amazing that we are ready to spend hours contemplating the majestic, noble lions and small, funny fur-bearing animals. All animals are so different, but each one takes you with something, makes you smile, makes you want to take care of him, or, conversely, makes you run away without looking back.
People constantly strive to understand the nature of animals, but very often this gives rise to somewhat extravagant opinions that quickly spread throughout the earth, misleading several hundred more people. One such opinion is that elephants are afraid of mice.
Elephant... A giant of the animal world, mysterious, calm and at the same time dangerous. Elephants reach four meters in height and weigh up to seven tons. But rumor stubbornly insists that elephants are terrified of the tiny mouse and avoid it. And new and increasingly extravagant explanations for this supposed fact also constantly appear.
Reason one: the elephant is worried about its legs. It's no secret that mice are agile and ubiquitous creatures. They are quite capable of getting between the toes and gnawing at the heels. Thus, the mouse will cause sharp pain to the elephant, from which it will be very difficult for him to free himself. But science has long proven that a mouse can only tickle an elephant, and then only for a short time (no wonder, they weigh seven tons).
Reason two: the mouse can get into the trunk, which will cause suffocation and death. If you remember with what force an elephant blows streams of water through its trunk, it becomes clear that some mouse will simply fly out of there like a bullet! And don’t forget that an elephant breathes excellently through its mouth, and therefore is not afraid of instant death from a small rodent.
Reason three: the elephant stops in front of the mouse to hear it. Proponents of this explanation believe that elephants and mice communicate using infrasound signals that are elusive to humans. But if you compare the lungs and vocal cords of a mouse and the same elephant, it becomes clear that only the latter can carry on a conversation.
There are many more reasons why elephants should (!) be afraid and cowardly run away from mice. But in fact, elephants are not afraid of them. They are simply cautious and want to see any obstacle in their path. When the experiment was carried out with mice, the elephants actually spent the first 10 seconds backing away a little, carefully examining the living clumps of hair in front of them. But after a couple of minutes, several rodents were accidentally crushed, and the elephants completely forgot about them, walking around the cage.
But elephants still have one fear, which really makes them panic and run away. But this is far from a harmless mouse, but an African honey bee. One such bee can infect an entire swarm with its aggressive attitude, and neither an elephant nor a person can resist hundreds of sharp stings.
Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. Since ancient times, people have shown special interest in these creatures, which has given rise to many myths and stories about them.
Almost every person has heard the statement that these giants, capable of frightening many living creatures, are horrified at the sight of small mice. But is this true? And if the statement is true, why can rodents scare elephants so much?
This myth has been circulating around the world for a very long time, so now it is impossible to determine where it came from. It says that elephants are terrified of mice and rats, and at the genetic level. There is a version that this myth about the cowardice of elephants and the courage of mice is based on some very ancient fairy tale or legend.
Few people realize that the myth about elephants and mice has an allegorical meaning. This story is very similar to the biblical tale of David and Goliath. In this tale, a small but very playful hero, unafraid of a giant enemy, wins. There are also many fairy tales, fables and even animated films about how a small, nimble mouse can outwit and defeat a larger opponent.
Perhaps the myth that elephants are afraid of mice originated with the advent of zoos and circuses. Allegedly, workers began to notice that mice often began to appear in the elephants’ cages and near them. According to their stories, the giants' reaction to these small animals was very similar to fear. However, it is much more logical to assume that the mice were attracted to the elephants' food, and the miniature creatures were not going to scare them at all.
If you think carefully, how can a tiny mouse scare a huge, calm elephant? There are rumors that a long time ago, when elephants first crossed paths with flocks of mice, rodents brought a lot of trouble to the giants. They say that mice began to gnaw at the heels of elephants, and some even made their own minks at the feet of the poor animals.
There is an opinion that this is why elephants still sleep standing up. Is it really true that an elephant is afraid of mice? After all, the story is known all over the world, and it is full of other details. For example, such that mice not only happily gnawed at the fingers and claws of giants, bringing them terrible pain, but could even climb into their trunks.
They say that in this way the mouse blocked its breathing, which could even cause the elephant to die. Thanks to this myth, it is believed that this is how elephants developed a fear of rats and mice, and developed a reflex due to which they supposedly start running at the sight of a rodent.
So, now let’s look at the opinions of scientists regarding this issue. Many naturalists and trainers tried to prove or disprove this myth. Is this true, and why are elephants afraid of mice?
Zoologists tested elephants in all sorts of ways: they let a lot of mice into their cage, hid rodents under food, and even put mice on their trunks. Moreover, the giants never demonstrated panic fear.
Moreover, when a bunch of mice were thrown towards them, the elephants became interested in them and pulled their trunks down to sniff the interesting creatures. There were also those who actually backed away, but most likely they were not afraid, but simply reacted naturally to something unfamiliar.
They just never met rodents in their lives. Proof of this assumption is that elephants reacted in a similar way to both rabbits and small dogs.
The interesting thing is that in fact today there is not a single confirmation that elephants experience panic fear in front of small animals. On the contrary, experiments carried out prove that this is just a fiction.
In fact, these giant animals are not cowardly at all, they are just very cautious and conservative. Hearing some rustling, the elephant will definitely become wary, but as soon as he is convinced that it is not a predator, he will calmly continue to go about his business.
The legend of the fear of mice by elephants dates back more than 2,000 years. Its author was Pliny the Elder, a Roman encyclopedist. He noticed the strange behavior of huge animals when rodents suddenly appeared. And he described this fact in his work “Natural History”. Since then, humanity has believed in the old myth, supporting its right to exist with the plots of fairy tales and cartoons. Is this really so?
Various hypotheses: why elephants are afraid of mice
People have provided various evidence in favor of the panicky fear of small pests among owners of trunks. Allegedly, insidious mice can gnaw through the base of the giant’s legs, in the heel part of which the skin is more delicate and softer than in any other part.
Some argued that the rodent was even able to live for some time in the folds of the elephant’s body and feed without getting out. The giant suffers greatly from his powerlessness to do anything, and therefore is terrified of dangerous little ones.
But it is unlikely that a mouse will be guided by the motto: “Who tried to eat an elephant?” The nimble toothfish is cautious. The instinct of self-preservation will not allow you to take absurd risks, because in the feeder of the “tenant in a cage” there will be a lot of tasty things to arrange a safe feast. Is there food nearby? natural conditions even more.
Other minds attributed the ability to mice to climb into the trunk and cause suffocation of its owner. But having assessed the size, it becomes clear that the giant only needs to sneeze or blow to shake the uninvited guest out of the organ, like a bullet from a gun. In addition, the elephant calmly breathes through its mouth when necessary.
It has been known for a very long time that elephants are afraid of mice. Someone is counting this information fiction, but someone believes in its truth. Is an animal that big really afraid of a small rodent? Or is this an interesting move by animators and fairy tale writers? Why are elephants afraid of mice? What harm can a mobile rodent cause? largest mammal of our planet?
Fact or fiction?
Before looking for the origins of fear, you need to understand whether fear itself exists. Why do you dream of green grass? Is she dreaming about something? Is it a prophetic dream? It's the same with elephants.
The Discovery Channel broadcasts the program “MythBusters.” In one of the episodes, the guys went to Africa to check the legend about the fear of the elephant. small rodent hidden in elephant dung. When the giant approached, the pellets of manure were lifted. And the massive animal, noticing the mouse, moved to the side, leaving an “obstacle” on the side. When the dung was lifted without the small animal, the giant continued to walk straight.
That is, the giant’s fear of the rodent is real. Of course, the elephant did not rush to run away, throwing its ears over its back. But he showed some caution. I avoided the obstacle that arose. What causes such caution, which people often confuse with the concept of “fear”?
Why is the elephant afraid of the tailed rodent?
1) A small mouse can accidentally get into the interdigital joints on an elephant's feet. Considering the size of the animals, the rodent will be quite comfortable there. The mouse can even feed on particles of the giant’s skin. But the latter will not be able to get the interfering rodent on his own.
2) Elephant skin, although thick, is very delicate and sensitive. Mice chew easily skin covering on the feet of other animals and introduce infection there. It hurts for the giant to walk after such an acquaintance. Therefore, it is easier to avoid possible contact with a sharp-toothed animal than to risk your health.
3) Elephants are conservatives. They are afraid of any noise and rustling from sources unknown to them. And mice make enough noise while remaining invisible.
4) The elephant's ear has a branched circulatory system . The huge fan helps the animal regulate its body temperature in tropical conditions. Even a young mouse can easily gnaw through any artery in the ear, which is dangerous for a giant.
It is believed that the rodent is able to climb into the giant's trunk, causing the latter to suffocate. But this is unlikely. An elephant will easily exhale any clutter that gets into its trunk. In addition, giants can breathe through their mouths.
There is also an opinion that due to fear of rodents, elephants sleep standing up. But scientists have seen many giants who lay down to sleep on the ground. The standing posture during sleep is not due to fear of mice. This is how huge animals protect themselves from overheating and reduce the load on the heart.
It was also noticed that only those representatives of the animal world are afraid of mice to whom rodents have already caused trouble. Even if not to a certain giant personally. But to someone from the herd, for example. After all, individuals from the same herd transmit information to each other. There is no genetic fear of rodents. Elephants will not run when they see a mouse. They will be careful and give the small animal a wide berth. But they will not flee.
Imagine a zoo. It will not be possible to completely protect it from mice. The impudent little animals will walk in herds around the territory and visit the cages they please. If the largest and heaviest animals were terrified of small mice, they would destroy the zoo, running away from the pests.
Why are elephants afraid of mice? Where did such a strange statement come from, and is it true that a giant elephant has a fear of a small mouse?
Weighing about seven tons. Height is about four meters. Impressive? This is an elephant. This word alone speaks for itself, giving rise to a whole chain of associations. Is there anyone in the animal world who would risk competing with this hero of the animal kingdom?
And is this hero capable of being afraid of anyone? It would seem that this is impossible, but popular rumor continues to develop one belief with enviable tenacity.
Elephants suffer from a paradoxical phobia, which is that these huge animals allegedly experience a panicky fear of mice.
Some people even try to find an explanation for this fear. For example, when mice find themselves near elephants, they try to gnaw at the elephant’s heels, which are supposedly distinguished by extraordinary sensitivity, which causes wild pain and even attacks of suffocation in elephants.
Are elephants afraid of mice - myth or truth?
Some even claim that mice like to climb into the trunks of elephants, getting almost to the very insides, where they make homes, and which they damage with their sharp teeth. We, perhaps, will not analyze the last statement due to its incredible absurdity generated by the extreme degree of ignorance, next to which we can only place the biblical prophet Jonah, who allegedly sat in the insides of this plankton-eating animal for three days. But regarding heels being chewed by mice, it’s worth saying a few words to finally debunk this ridiculous misconception.
First, let's look at the “thunderstorm of elephants” itself - mice. What was the reason that they began to be accused of the machinations that they allegedly inflicted on these giants? Most likely, the reason is that in the cages in which elephants were kept in zoos and circuses, they saw mice.
However, the mice did not look into the elephant abode in order to intrigue the good-natured giants and gnaw their fragrant heels, arranging cozy holes for themselves in their trunks.
In fact, everything is much more prosaic and mice in elephant cages are primarily interested in the remains of elephant meals. Usually these are root vegetables or pieces of bread, but nothing more. Actually, mice don’t need anything more to be happy. And even if some mouse with a penchant for extreme sports decided to look into the elephant’s trunk, the elephant would very quickly and effectively blow it out of there.
In any case, it is difficult to imagine that, having a highly sensitive trunk, an elephant would begin to tolerate something foreign in it. It is enough to remember the force with which jets of water fly out of an elephant’s trunk to get an idea of the force with which a “lost rodent” would fly out of there. In view of all of the above, it becomes clear that elephants have no reason to be afraid of mice.
In order to confirm this, an interesting experiment was even conducted. Having gathered a group of elephants, the scientists released several mice in front of them.
At first these huge animals backed away a little. This is understandable, since, like any other animal, elephants prefer not to come into contact with anything unfamiliar, even if it is small in size.
This manner of behavior is all the more justified, since those living in wildlife elephants often suffer from very small but deadly snakes, which can, if not kill, then injure, if not an adult elephant, then their cubs. Seeing a snake in the distance, elephants, as a rule, sharply change the direction of movement so as not to ask for trouble. Lions, which can hunt elephant calves, also pose a certain danger. So, despite all the power, caution, as can be seen from what has been said, is never excessive.
However, after a short retreat, the elephants became accustomed to the company of mice and even accidentally killed several rodents. True, some people expressed the idea that they did this deliberately and out of fear, but this cannot be established for sure. Most likely this happened by accident, but whatever the reasons for the death of the mice participating in the experiment, one thing was clear: elephants do not have any innate hostility towards mice, showing only ordinary caution and nothing more.
True, despite the fact that elephants do not experience any fear of tiny mice, there is still one small animal that can really bring an elephant to a state of panic and which, by the way, is an order of magnitude smaller than a mouse. This formidable animal is called the African honey bee.
