The legend of the fear of mice by elephants is more than 2000 years old. Since then, mankind believes in a long-standing myth, supporting its right to exist with plots of fairy tales and cartoons. Is it really so?

Different hypotheses: why elephants are afraid of mice

People gave different evidence in favor of a panic fear of small pests by the owners of trunks. Allegedly, cunning mice can gnaw through the base of the giant’s legs, in the heel of which the skin is softer and softer than in any other.

Some claimed that the rodent was even able to live for some time in the folds of the body of an elephant and eat without getting outside. The giant suffers very much from powerlessness to do anything, and therefore is panicky afraid of dangerous babies.

But it is unlikely that the mouse will be guided by the motto: "And who tried to eat an elephant?" Brisk toothy is careful. The instinct of self-preservation will not allow you to absurdly take risks, because in the feeder "the lodger in the cage" there is a lot of delicious to arrange a safe feast. And there is even more food nearby in nature.

Other minds attributed the ability of mice to climb into the trunk and cause suffocation of its owner. But having estimated the sizes, it becomes clear that it’s enough for a giant to sneeze or blow to shake an uninvited guest from the body, like a bullet from a gun. In addition, the elephant breathes with his mouth calmly if necessary.

The results of the experiments

The time for tireless labors to debunk ridiculous arguments has come today. Practicing scientists hastened to conduct a series of experiments on experimental elephants in captivity, with the participation of their "deadly" enemies.As a result, only poor mice suffered fear. They had to go through many tests for the sake of science. They were launched into the cells to the elephants one at a time, then in droves. Brought to the eyes of calm giants and planted on their backs, wanting to scare the latter. Buried in the feeders, hoping to see the horror of the animal with the sudden appearance of fluffy crumbs from there. And even deliberately pushed into the trunks. But everything turned out to be in vain.

The only experience was nearly successful. On the route of the elephant, they placed a cake from the litter, covering it with a hole in which they placed a small mouse. As the giant approached, the trap was opened using a tied rope. Tailed sneak climbed out, forcing the giant to stop and freeze for a few seconds. Then the giant tried to get around this place, calmly continuing the route.

The experiment was repeated with snakes, hedgehogs and other small animals. Each time the hero always stopped, went around a dangerous point and continued to stomp on. The simplest conclusion suggests itself. The eared strongman reacted equally to everyone. Interruption of the journey was made only by the sudden appearance of a moving object. So any animal will behave in surprise.

Who are the elephants afraid of?

However, the giant cannot be called completely fearless. In the wild, he has real enemies. Lions are happy to hunt little elephants. Tracking the prey, the predator watches for a long time, hiding in the thick of vegetation. And the attack usually comes from behind.Therefore, an adult elephant perceives any rustling as a danger signal.

Another creature that the hero is afraid of is a honey bee. One individual nearby can easily turn him into a shameful flight. This behavior is explained by the peculiarity of the insect. The aggressive state of the bee is transmitted to its relatives, flying nearby. And after a couple of moments, a whole swarm will attack a defenseless bruiser with a trunk. Knowing this, the clever elephant tries to hide as soon as possible.

Trying to prove that elephants are panicky afraid of mice, scientists themselves have denied this centuries-old fallacy as a result of countless experiments. Possessing a calm nature and poor eyesight by nature, the elephant simply does not have time to be frightened of rodents harmless to itself. And wisdom, remarkable strength and the instincts characteristic of the detachment of mammals help him cope with real enemies in natural conditions.