Elephants in zoos often eat hay. We're all afraid of things from time to time. They say this doesn’t seem to bother the elephants at all. The Mice & The Elephants. I thought they were just make believe!! Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. There is a common folk belief that elephants are afraid of mice. Are you one of them? We might have it! It turns out that it was something small that scares elephants when they get close to certain trees. So to check it out, we went looking for some elephants. The zoologist Bernhard Grzimek did not want to go to the front in 1942 and instead explored a legend: The elephant is afraid of mice. ], "In the wild, anything that suddenly runs or slithers by an elephant can spook it," said Josh Plotnik, a researcher of elephant behavior and intelligence at the University of Cambridge in England and the head of elephant research for the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation in Chiang Rai, Thailand, told Live Science. elephants are probably not afraid of mice, but could probably be startled by something small scurrying below them in and out of their eye sight. Yes, elephants are afraid of mice but it certainly isn’t because they can crawl up their trunks. The mythological stories are not facts that can clearly explain an elephant’s fear of mice. :) Anyway, I liked today's wonder. However, these jokes are just as incorrect as all the stories about women who scream and jump on the nearest chair at the sight of a mouse. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. In the Matsya Purana (Vedic Scripture), the Elephant-headed God, Ganesha, has a mouse as his mount (vahana). Bees. If you avoid mice, they’re likely to do the same to you. :), That book sounds like a very humorous animal tale, Julie! If you think there's no way a huge elephant could fear a mouse, you'd be correct ... sort of. The elephant panicked, running off into the nearby jungle.". We think you'll be surprised by the answer! I personally believe that elephants could just ignore the mice. That's very interesting! Raena, S. , Shelby, Flynn from AL, and lucas from OH for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic! :), Sorry you found it creepy, neo. <3, Emily. : Hager, Anita: 9781543214963: Books - Amazon.ca. https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/can-dogs-and-cats-get-along/ :), We hope you'll check out the Wonder article for more information, Nathan! CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, These animals still roam the Earth today! So I have a question if the elephants are related to the mammoth so are elephants extinct? Why would they be afraid of mice? Head over to Wonder #280 to keep WONDERing about chickens! The truth is that they get anxious about nearby sounds or movement, which they cannot identify, and the mouse darts around the underfoot and makes noises. Believe it or not, yes! Elephants being afraid of mice is a western folk belief, and there are several stories and jokes related to this issue. :), Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Marcelo! SCIENCE — Life Science. We are just thrilled that you are having so much fun WONDERing with us! https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/can-dogs-and-cats-get-along/. As translated by Philemon Holland (1601), "Of all other living creatures Elephant experts will tell you that elephants have no reason to be afraid of mice. That's cool, Chicken! Stories For Kids The Mice and The Elephants. Are you afraid of mice? An elephant could simply blow a … I really want to help you see if elephants are really scared of mice and on other animals too, guys that malcolm x thing video was creepy. Are elephants really afraid of mice? Are elephants afraid of taratulas and i knew elphants would not be afriad of a little ole mouse. Is there anything more adorable than a baby elephant? Theories abound that elephants are afraid of mice because the tiny creatures nibble on their feet or can climb up into their trunks. By the way, what are elephants really scared of? TrendChaserNews. We look forward to hearing from you again! I have never heard of Urban legends till today. He dwells in the tropical forests of countries such as Africa and India. Is there any truth to this belief? Story-specific words are repeated to practise throughout. In order to draw the conclusion, 'Elephants are afraid of mice', it would be necessary to experiment with a representative sample size of elephants, so that a normal distribution of an elephant population is represented in your study. However, there's no evidence to back up either of those claims. Whether elephants are actually AFRAID of mice is not known, but it has been proven that an elephant will avoid a mouse at all costs, even if it means changing its course. :), We're glad to have you back and WONDERing with us, Emily! You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is: Subscribe to Wonderopolis and receive 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. At the end of the book, the elephant got out of the tub when one of the animals showed him a mouse and ran away from it. Think about the things that you're afraid of. We are so glad you made us smile by sharing the story! It doesn't surprise me though that myth busters had an episode that tested that. Elephants and mice There is a common folk belief that elephants are afraid of mice. It would have backed away from a Yorkshire Terrier as well. Apparently, in the late 1600s, an Irish physician named Allen Moulin was trying to figure out why such big pachyderms might quiver at the sight of such a small rodent as a mouse, according to Christopher Plumb's "The Georgian Menagerie: Exotic Animals in Eighteenth-Century London" (I. Take a look at one of our past Wonders and maybe we can begin your own research about animal behavior! Elephants in captivity have been exposed to mice because they are frequently found in and around the elephants' feed (hay). To date, many believe that the pachyderms are afraid of the tiny things. ABC's 20/20 conducted a test with trained elephants at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 2006. The mouse-in-the-trunk myth, for example, seems to date back centuries to … [Why Can't Elephants Jump? But in reality, elephants are not afraid of mice. He or she might be able to help you get over your fears! Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Wonder #627-- What's Your Favorite Fable? The elephant is considered the largest animal that can be found on land. When the elephant approached the dung pile, the MythBusters crew pulled the dung away and revealed the scurrying mice. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. But the elephant's fear has more to do with the element of surprise than the mouse itself. The idea was that the mouse might scratch the lining of the trunk or plug up the trunk so the elephant could not breathe. Again, first one to make a comment. Theories abound that elephants are afraid of mice because the tiny creatures nibble on their feet or can climb up into their trunks. Want to add a little wonder to your website? Perhaps they’re worried a mouse will crawl up their pants leg! Elephants are scared of bees. =) For over thirty-five years, the best-selling Read it yourself with Ladybird has helped children learn to read. As a human being, you might also be afraid of elephants! 12:36. We're sorry you did not like the video, Destinee! I don't, but I think my mom does. So rather than being afraid of the mouse itself, an elephant is most likely just surprised by its quick, frantic movements. Elephants are my FAVORITE animal in the whole world. It's entirelly possible that subsonic sounds can be used to control elephant movements. 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." Any reaction they have to the tiny creatures may have more to do with surprise than fear. Elephants are one of the most fearless animals globally, so there are very fewer chances of them being afraid of mice. TrendChaserNews. Do they seem irrational to you? Elephants are afraid of bees. The earliest reference to this claim is probably by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia, book VIII. There are many folk tales and fables from ancient Greek times (77 AD), which are responsible for this misunderstanding that elephants are afraid of mice. I've heard that one since I was a little kid. In fact, some elephants don’t even seem to mind mice crawling on their faces and trunks. Thank you for the feedback! Those big creatures that could crush a tiny mouse with one step? They put mice in a hole and covered the hole with elephant dung. We're glad you are WONDERing and learning with us! New York, As translated by Philemon Holland (1601), "Of all other living creatures, they [elephants] cannot abide a mouse or a rat." Stories For Kids The Mice and The Elephants. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. What could be threatening the elephants and make them go screaming away from the trees? Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. The end result of the experiment is an unofficial conclusion that elephants are concerned about mice, but not necessarily scared of them. The actions of elephants in zoological gardens and circuses do not confirm this belief. Wilhelminalangton56. The mammoth and the elephant are related-- we are glad you shared what you learned on your own! Our obsession with juxtaposing the big and the small is also evident in the belief that elephants are afraid of rodents. Or do you think there's a good reason to be afraid of them? Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day is served sunny side up! In reality, elephants do not pay much attention and also are not terrified by tiny mice. I never knew that ELEPHANTS can be scared of little tiny mice. 4:12. This could cause irritation and blockage, making it hard for elephants to breathe. my pencil. © This was done in the past at circuses. :), There are so many more GREAT Wonders to ponder, Carlos! Arden Wonders, “How come elephants are afraid of mice?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Arden! Mythbusters: Are elephants afraid of mice? :-), Sorry I wasn't here yesterday. Let that sink in for a second. Wonder #660-- Can Dogs and Cats Get Along? We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. If you watch old cartoons, you know that the appearance of a mouse often leads to people standing on top of chairs in fear. It seems the answer is likely no. Interested in sharing Wonderopolis® every day? Are elephants really afraid of mice? Mostly likely, elephants aren't afraid of little bitty mice! Prime Cart. I once read a book when a elephant got stuck in a bathtub and some other animals tried getting him out of the tub. Are you ready to face your fears? We chose that Malcolm X video because we found it pretty informative about his life. The idea was that the mouse might scratch the lining of the trunk or plug up the trunk so the elephant could not breathe. ", 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. Hi! Some have said the claim started with Pliny the Elder in A.D. 77, as reported by Discovery's Myth Busters. What fun! I am very interested in mysteries and realistic fiction. Thanks for WONDERing with us! On the other hand, many people are certainly startled by the sight of a mouse! Elephants are real?! I think tomorrow's wonder will be about the history of humans and how they made so many inventions! We cannot wait to find out what tomorrow's inventive Wonder will be! We found them at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, where the head clown let me ask the audience. There’s even a longstanding belief that elephants are afraid of mice. Don’t miss our special deals, gifts and promotions. The elephant really did not like the barking, sprinting animal around it, especially when it couldn't see where the dog was. It is a common belief that elephants, the largest land-dwelling mammals on Earth, are terrified of mice, some of the very smallest. The popular television show Mythbusters tested the belief. I actually am not scared but I really don't think they are clean, and the squeaky noises they make,makes be uncomfortable. Help spread the wonder of families learning together. Try. However, elephant experts say there’s no support for this belief. Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors? Theories abound that elephants are afraid of mice because the tiny creatures nibble on their feet or can climb up into their trunks. October 7, 2017. Occasionally, though, they do succeed. 13:04. So, are elephants afraid of mice? Did you think elephants and mice could get along? The mouse-in-the-trunk myth, for example, seems to date back centuries to the ancient Greeks, who reportedly told fables about a mouse that climbed into an elephant's trunk and drove it crazy. "I can remember one occasion when a local dog in Thailand was running around while we were working with an elephant for our locomotor studies. 12:36. A wild african elephant has surely never seen a white mouse before. :), We couldn't find evidence that this is true, jimmy! However, elephant experts say there’s no support for this belief. I don't think this proves that elephants are of mice. Or a friend might have once been afraid of something but isn't now. You will receive a verification email shortly. The mice are afraid of the elephants, but the Elephant King helps them. We hope you have a fabulous Friday! Eek, a mouse! Visit our corporate site. 3:28. Amoeba sisters biomolecules. Zookeepers have reported seeing mice in and around elephants’ hay. Wilhelminalangton56. The fear of mice is a phobia that goes by three different names: musophobia, murophobia, or suriphobia. Gymnastics coach accused of emotional abuse speaks out I was super busy. All titles feature essential key words. (Image: © Eric Isselee / Shutterstock.com). According to some, elephants are afraid of mice, because they fear that mice will crawl up their trunks. You all at Wonderopolis are doing a great job with the articles and such. Enjoy! War, elephants and the fear of mice. They tried pulling him out and putting butter around the tub, but none of them worked. The earliest reference to this claim is probably by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia, book VIII. The rumour that elephants are scared of mice is very persistent and there are whole collections of jokes circulating on this topic. 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. The elephants were not seriously frightened, however, and they did not stampede away from the mice. If you are interested in studying animals, we hope you'll keep WONDERing and someday attend college! However, there's no evidence to back up either of those claims. No one is sure where this old, commonly held belief came from. Witness one of Jamie and Adam's most surprising results ever. DesiRonak.net nishastuff. ", It's more likely that elephants, which have relatively poor eyesight, simply become startled when mice dart past. No, it is only a myth that elephants are scared of mice. Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. Thanks so much, Emmalee! I will look to see if I can find that video. That's why carbon is a tramp: Crash Course Biology #1. B. Tauris, 2015). One thing is for sure, though, it’s been popularized in cartoons, movies, books, and other media for many years. However, these jokes are just as incorrect as all the stories about women who scream and jump on the nearest chair at the sight of a mouse. :), We're glad you are enjoying the website, Trista! 3:28. Some people believe this urban legend may have something to do with the elephant’s trunk. as far as being clumsy.. no way. The idea that elephants were afraid of mice was used as the central conceit in Dumbo The scientists believe that adding ant colonies to vulnerable plants in Africa could prevent deforestation … :). The myth busters say that elephants are afraid of mice because they fear that mouse will get into their trunks, and cause blockage and irritation of the trunk. Are elephants really afraid of mice? :), We are so glad to have another animal lover here at Wonderopolis, Savannah! The rumour that elephants are scared of mice is very persistent and there are whole collections of jokes circulating on this topic. They are afraid of everything they don't know.