# Are Elephants Terrified of Mice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 22, 2000, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467 "2000-07-22T15:47:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robert\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Robert\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert_Brown)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2000, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/1 "2000-07-22T15:47:41Z")
Has anyone ever actually seen an elephant “freak out” at the site of a mouse at its feet? This has been depicted in numerous cartoons. If elephants really don’t care about mice then where did this silly idea come from? Robert ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2000, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/2 "2000-07-22T16:10:25Z")
Elephants aren’t afraid of ANYTHING, least of all a mouse! I don’t know where the legend arose, but suffice it to say, old Bug Bunny cartoons are not a good source of information about wildlife behavior. Pssst… while we’re at it, rabbits don’t walk upright or talk… coyotes don’t build mechanical contraptions to catch their prey… mice don’t built perfect archways as entrances to their homes… ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/3 "2000-07-22T16:22:39Z")
No, elephants are not afraid of mice. Mice often exist in the cages of zoo and circus elephants, drawn by the grain and hay. The elephant usually either doesn’t notice or is completely indifferent to them. Elephants have lousy eyesight, and it’s quite possible they don’t even see them. As to where the myth got started, I haven’t the foggiest. A cursory search doesn’t turn up anything. It undoubtedly persists because the image of a huge elephant frightened by a tiny mouse is so comic. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/4 "2000-07-22T16:29:54Z")
A mouse to an elephant would be like a mosquito or a bee to me. It is much smaller and much faster. I know it’s not going to kill me but I still prefer not to see it around. I guess several thousand mice could overcome an elephant like thousands of mosquitos or bees could do the same to me. The elephant could go in the water and try to drown them… and if I were attacked by a swarm of bees I’d do the same. So if elephants are not actually afraid of mice it is because they are too dumb to realize… ---
**Author:** ![Feynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@Feynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feynn)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/5 "2000-07-22T16:35:49Z")
In the wild elephants have no natural enemies except man and mice. Although never documented on video it would appear that a large pack of mice can overcome a small / baby elephant. Adult elephants are rerely targetted unless the mice are going through a period of famine. Most people are unaware that carnivorous mice exist and the disappearance of many African explorers could be a result of mouse attacks. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2000, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/6 "2000-07-22T17:52:19Z")
Elephants aren’t afraid of mice - they just can’t work the buttons with their big flat feet … ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2000, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/7 "2000-07-22T19:14:19Z")
“Although Sarah had an abnormal fear of mice, it did not keep her from eking out a living at a local pet store.” - Bulwar Lytton #5 ---
**Author:** ![KeithT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@KeithT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KeithT)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/8 "2000-07-23T02:14:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yabob \* > \*\*Elephants aren’t afraid of mice - they just can’t work the buttons with their big flat feet … \*\* **yabob** , have you seen Apple’s [new optical mouse?](http://www.apple.com/mouse/) ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/9 "2000-07-23T07:15:56Z")
Wasn’t this idea in an Aesop fable? ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/10 "2000-07-23T19:27:02Z")
Others have covered that elephants aren’t afraid of mice. For the OP’s 2nd question: I think it’s just because people find it amusing that one of the largest mammals would be afraid of one of the smallest. ---
**Author:** ![lswote](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lswote/32/5737_2.png) [@lswote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lswote)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/11 "2000-07-23T21:19:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Feynn \* > \*\*In the wild elephants have no natural enemies except man and mice. > > Although never documented on video it would appear that a large pack of mice can overcome a small / baby elephant. Adult elephants are rerely targetted unless the mice are going through a period of famine. Most people are unaware that carnivorous mice exist and the disappearance of many African explorers could be a result of mouse attacks.\*\* Your tongue in cheek response didn’t miss my glance. You a comedy writer for PBS? ---
**Author:** ![tomas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tomas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomas)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/12 "2000-07-23T21:52:30Z")
## : Originally posted by Feynn In the wild elephants have no natural enemies except man and mice. ## Although never documented on video it would appear that a large pack of mice can overcome a small / baby elephant. Adult elephants are rerely targetted unless the mice are going through a period of famine. Most people are unaware that carnivorous mice exist and the disappearance of many African explorers could be a result of mouse attacks. Thanks for the laugh!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/13 "2000-07-24T13:49:50Z")
in Africa, mice are 10 ft tall. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/14 "2000-07-24T14:13:05Z")
The legend of elephants supposed fear of mice started with a grain of truth. Back in the thirties, when travelling circuses were still big business, there was a famous trained elephant (I believe named “Molly”) who had a leg amputated and subsequently died after an infection brought about supposedly from mice eating away the scaley pads of her feet. It was quite the story at the time and only grew after a comic strip (“Gasoline Alley” I think) portayed an elephant terrified of mice. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-elephants-terrified-of-mice/26467/15 "2000-07-25T04:29:07Z")
Quoth Phobos: > [@](#): > > in Africa, mice are 10 ft tall. 😃 Rodents of unusual size? I don’t believe they exist. Sorry, dpr.