Credit: television tropes
From Saturday early morning animations to old myths, one of the most iconic images is that of an elephant cowering in front of a mouse. This conjuring is typically used as an allegory for the underdog, however is there any truth to it?
An ancient myth: where did the concept of elephants being scared of mice originated from?
But as the myth spread, it began to strike some educated people the ridiculousness of a three-ton-animal scared by a teeny-weeny mouse. These important thinkers consisted of Allen Moulin who was an Irish doctor during the 1600s.
Keep in mind, elephants didnt live in the so-called civilized Western world. So, like other unique types, their appearance and habits were delegated the imagination. Just take a look at how individuals used to think elephants looked like in the Middle Ages– completely funny.
Its unclear where or when the very first elephant terrified by a mouse misconception began. One variation can be traced back to 77 ADVERTISEMENT, the time of Pliny the Elder– who, beside Aristotle, was probably the most influential scholar in antiquity.
Like any wildlife biologist will inform you today, elephants do actually have that flappy cartilage to secure their windpipes. Even if a mouse, pest, or any type of particles wound up in the trunk, the elephant requires just to blow it. Thats what they do most of the time when they feel their trunk is getting blocked.
Pliny was the first to say “The elephant hates the mouse above all other animals,” and because he was so influential and extremely related to, this sort of stuck– and not only with the Romans. This anecdote then wove its way into folklore, later penetrated childrens books, and even found its method into animations, especially the Tom and Jerry series.
Sadly, like Pliny before him, Moulin wasnt truly on to anything. He did, nevertheless, perpetuate an apparently clinical explanation for why the most significant land mammal on the planet hesitates of mice.
Moulin, who wasnt at all knowledgeable about elephants however a minimum of had some understanding of their anatomy from the minimal scholastic papers of his time, provided a relatively sensible description. He reasoned that since elephants do not have epiglottis– a cartilage that secures the windpipe while swallowing– one may assume that such a large animal might be scared of a small one if the latter might crawl up the elephants trunk and suffocate it.
Lets ask the Myth Busters
In the experiment, an elephant was strolling along a designated course. The team presented a mouse along the route, concealed under a stack of dung. As the elephant neared the stack, the mouse was launched.
When the elephants discovered the little animals, they actually backed away and even began moving in the other instructions.
Back in 2006, in an episode of Myth Busters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman discovered the myth was really possible.
The 20/20 host reached out to a regional circus where Troy Metzler, a qualified elephant fitness instructor, let the production team program one of his elephants a white mouse. The little rodent was then revealed to other elephants, none of whom appeared to notice the mouse.
Though they didnt offer it any opportunity initially, their experiments recommend that South African elephants stopped dead in their tracks when they were met by mice hidden in dung.
However, the elephant didnt show signs of fear or distress. Rather, the elephant seemed to display care, preventing a prospective disturbance in its otherwise calm stroll.
Misconception versus science
Whats likewise important to note is that elephants dont have excellent eyesight. They also have a blind area straight in front of them extending approximately a few feet, so a mouse zipping through right in front of their legs would not even be discovered.
Elephants, regardless of their tremendous size, are gentle and mindful beings. They are known to prevent stepping on smaller animals and may even go out of their way to avoid disrupting them. Its extremely not likely that any elephant on the planet is afraid of mice, however it would be more appropriate to say that some are merely cautious and thoughtful around them.
So, instead of hesitating of mice per se, elephants appear to be stunned by frantic movements. Actually, the same can be said about any animal living in the wild.
Theres also something to be said about the novelty factor may. In the heat of the African savannah or the thick foliage of the Indian forests, its rather not likely that an elephant would have any considerable encounter with a mouse. Captive elephants, like those in circuses or zoos, are frequently seen sleeping with rodents right on top of them. They seem to mind them very little bit, as a lot of zoo keepers would tell you.
Due to clinical proof and expert insights, its safe to conclude that elephants are not inherently scared of mice. This age-old myth most likely stemmed from the elephants mindful and understanding nature being misunderstood as worry.
According to John Hutchinson, who is a researcher at the Royal Veterinary College in London, elephants in the wild get anxious whenever a small but fast animal meets their tracks. That suggests that not only mice can interrupt them, however likewise pet dogs, cats, and just about anything thats agile.
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In the heat of the African savannah or the dense foliage of the Indian forests, its rather unlikely that an elephant would have any substantial encounter with a mouse. Its highly unlikely that any elephant in the world is afraid of mice, however it would be more appropriate to state that some are simply cautious and thoughtful around them.
Even if a mouse, bug, or any kind of debris ended up in the trunk, the elephant requires just to blow it. The 20/20 host reached out to a regional circus where Troy Metzler, a licensed elephant trainer, let the production team program one of his elephants a white mouse. The little rodent was then shown to other elephants, none of whom seemed to observe the mouse.
