Are elephants really scared of mice?

Answer 1

• This is a myth, not factual.
• One reason that many people felt this myth might be true is because they thought an elephant might fear a mouse creeping into its trunk while asleep - stopping it from breathing. However this logic has a fatal flaw. Apart from the fact that no mouse in his right mind would choose such a crazy place for a snooze, any sleeping elephant would easily smell such a suicidal rodent. And the force that an elephant has for blowing obstructions from their trunks is plenty adequate to shoot a mouse out like a ball from a cannon.
• Mice, per se, do not bother any of them. They are a very natural part of their environments. A mouse walking by is not a problem for any of the larger animals. What DOES bother them is anything that startles them. A mouse that was very still and in the elephant's view is not an issue. If this (very stationary) mouse suddenly moves, the movement that occurs MAY startle the elephant. This depends on many factors. What other noises are around. Are there any predators (perceived or otherwise) nearby? What smells are around? How close is the mouse?
• There are plenty of websites explaining that it depends on the elephants in question. The elephants in the Mythbusters episode were "semi-habituated", likely spending most--if not all--of their time out in a natural environment instead of in a man-made structures with food stores nearby (where mice would happily forage). A stark-white mouse suddenly appearing underfoot would startle them as a curious anomaly in their natural environment... unlike a circus or zoo-kept elephant that was used to seeing mice scurrying around, as part of everyday life. So, it depends on the elephant and how/where it was raised and if it was exposed to mice in everyday life.
• Their reaction may not be related to the mouse as an animal, but rather to its being a moving object near the animal's feet. It can be a question of whether the animal feels it is in any danger of loss of sure footing. It is sometimes difficult for large animals to get up again after fully down ("cast"), they depend on their readiness for flight or running away from danger and they avoid or fear the inability to do this. When large animals, like elephants, see something moving toward or under foot, they worry that they will lose their footing and fall and then be unable to get up again to flee from danger.
• When elephants need to move from a position on their sides on the ground they need a lot of room to get up. They need to be able to roll themselves back first to get momentum to allow them to get partially up on their sides and to get their feet under them to stand. If they do not feel that they will have plenty of room should this become necessary, they will avoid anything that puts their sure footing in jeopardy. A small object moving, like a rock rolling can indicate loose footing. A small moving mouse can trigger this worry about footing and cause the large animal to move to an area that will be more sure under foot and that has large enough space for them to get back up if they go down.

Answer 2

It's not known if elephants are actually scared of mice, but as the television show 'Mythbusters' has shown: where possible, elephants will avoid mice.

Perhaps mice are to elephants what cockroaches are to people: something small and fast that they instinctively back away from.

Answer 3

Their reaction may not be related to the mouse as an animal, but rather to its being a moving object near the animal's feet. It can be a question of whether the animal feels it is in any danger of loss of sure footing. It is sometimes difficult for large animals to get up again after fully down ("cast"), they depend on their readiness for flight or running away from danger and they avoid or fear the inability to do this. When large animals, like elephants, see something moving toward or under foot, they worry that they will lose their footing and fall and then be unable to get up again to flee from danger.

When elephants need to move from a position on their sides on the ground they need a lot of room to get up. They need to be able to roll themselves back first to get momentum to allow them to get partially up on their sides and to get their feet under them to stand. If they do not feel that they will have plenty of room should this become necessary, they will avoid anything that puts their sure footing in jeopardy. A small object moving, like a rock rolling can indicate loose footing. A small moving mouse can trigger this worry about footing and cause the large animal to move to an area that will be more sure under foot and that has large enough space for them to get back up if they go down.

Answer 4

No. This is a concept inspired by fiction. Elephants can be startled by any sudden, unexplained movement, but not specifically by any animal. For example, they show mostly disdain for snakes. Tame elephants presented with a mouse will usually completely ignore it.

*In a test performed by the television series "Mythbusters", two elephants were wary of a white mouse that appeared in their path. So in some circumstances, the appearance of unfamiliar animals such as mice can cause elephants to avoid them.
yes

Answer 5

Basically, elephants flee from danger and are afraid of whatever they don't know. Zoo and circus elephants, however, know practically everything about their environment, and they certainly know mice. Whenever large quantities of hay and straw are delivered to a stable, there are often a few mice hidden in the bales.

In their search for food, mice quickly discover the elephants' many leftovers. Furthermore, a stable is an ideal home for a mouse. It has everything it needs: food, nesting material, warmth and quiet hiding places.

Answer 6

yes It has been proven by the mythbusters you can whatch their video on YouTube but they don't run away like in the Cartoons they just evoid the mice or walk around them

Answer 7

It's Just In Fairy Tales. Mice Are Too Small For Elephants To Be Afraid Of.

Answer 8

no