Why is elephants scared of mice

Their alleged fear of mice is just a rumor albeit a very, very old one, dating from 77 AD. But elephants do in fact retreat from the sound of angry bees and emit a low-frequency noise that alerts other pachyderms to stay away too.

The program has since expanded to nine more countries in Africa, and to Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India as well.

By providing your email, you agree to the Quartz Privacy Policy. Skip to navigation Skip to content. Discover Membership. Their findings suggest that elephants may indeed be afraid of mice.

Scientists who have viewed the episode , though, disagree. Evidence from zoos suggests that elephants can get along with mice. Elephants in zoos often eat hay. Elephant experts will tell you that elephants have no reason to be afraid of mice. So, are elephants afraid of mice? It seems the answer is likely no.

Any reaction they have to the tiny creatures may have more to do with surprise than fear. On the other hand, many people are certainly startled by the sight of a mouse! Are you one of them? Are you ready to face your fears? Ask a friend or family member to help you check out the following activities:.

Raena , S. Thanks so much, Emmalee! Here is a link to all of our Wonders on animals. That's cool, Chicken! We couldn't find evidence that this is true, jimmy!

Mostly likely, elephants aren't afraid of little bitty mice! Hmmm, we aren't sure, Joshua! But if they aren't afraid of mice, they probably aren't afraid of tarantulas either! The people who research animal behaviors such as elephants being afraid of mice go to college to study biology, ecology, zoology, or a similar field.

Sorry you found it creepy, neo. We chose that Malcolm X video because we found it pretty informative about his life. Thank you for the feedback! Elephants are so massive that it is very difficult for potential predators, like big cats , to take one down.

Occasionally, though, they do succeed. We're sorry you did not like the video, Destinee! Luckily, there is so much information in the text, too! Hi Team Clark 26! We might have it! We can't say that we really enjoy mice! We're glad this Wonder made you chuckle, Wonder Friend Alex! Did you think elephants and mice could get along? We hope you'll check out the Wonder article for more information, Nathan!

We think you'll be surprised by the answer! We are so glad to have another animal lover here at Wonderopolis, Savannah! What fun! The mammoth and the elephant are related-- we are glad you shared what you learned on your own!

While the wooly mammoth is extinct due to climate change and humans, there are two types of elephants, Asian and African. These animals still roam the Earth today! We love to learn about different animals, even if they sometimes frighten us, Emmy.

Thank you for your comment! Sometimes you must think about things from another's perspective-- perhaps the elephant was fearful of harming the mouse! Speaking of other stories that teach a lesson, check out our past Wonder about fables: Wonder What's Your Favorite Fable? You are quite the busy bee, Sophie! We are glad you stopped by to Wonder about elephants and mice with us! Adding a cat into the mix sounds like a very smart idea, especially if the elephant doesn't care for mice to be hanging around!

We think you had a great guess about tomorrow's Wonder-- we hope you enjoy it! That book sounds like a very humorous animal tale, Julie! We are so glad you made us smile by sharing the story! We love all kinds of stories, especially about animals! We love your ideas about how elephants and mice interact-- we think it's great that they have learned to live together!

We cannot wait to find out what tomorrow's inventive Wonder will be! Take a look at one of our past Wonders and maybe we can begin your own research about animal behavior! We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition.

You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. Are elephants really afraid of mice?

What is an urban legend? What is the fear of mice called? Wonder What's Next? Try It Out Are you ready to face your fears? Ask a friend or family member to help you check out the following activities: Are you afraid of mice? As a human being, you might also be afraid of elephants! We're all afraid of things from time to time. The things you might be afraid of when you're young might not scare you at all as an adult.

John Hutchinson, a researcher at the structure and motion lab of the Royal Veterinary College in London, agreed: "Elephants get a bit nervous sometimes when small, fast animals are around them," he said. The elephant really did not like the barking, sprinting animal around it, especially when it couldn't see where the dog was.

The elephant panicked, running off into the nearby jungle. A reporter and the circus elephant's trainer held mice in their hands and showed them to several elephants; apparently the elephants "only looked bored" and "not one of them seemed to care much. So rather than being afraid of the mouse itself, an elephant is most likely just surprised by its quick, frantic movements. Elephants are not scared of mice as some myth suggests however they are scared of ants and bees.

Editor's Note: This article was first published in and was updated in