The Myth

As per my previous post about elephants, I shall continue the topic about elephants...

Myth of the day is: Elephants are afraid of mice

How can a huge animal be afraid of a small tiny creature? Can elephants even see mice? Probably one stomp is enough to kill them all...

Myth Buster, a TV programme on Astro Discovery, made an experience on this, attempting to prove the myth is wrong...

They went all the way to Africa to find elephants as victims. In order to protect themselves from getting too near to the wild elephants, they hid a mouse underneath a dung and place it on the ground near the herd, tied a string around the dung, hoping that if any elephants are closing by, they will pull the string and open up the dung so that the mouse will be visible to the elephant.

The first attempt, the elephant backed off almost immediately when the dung was opened. The case was not closed until they had their fourth attempt.

Second attempt, they thought the elephants might be frightened by the dung's movement. So, they tried the second and third attempt, opening the dung without putting the mouse inside. The elephants just walked pass like nothing has happened.

The final attempt, they put the mouse back underneath the dung. This time, the elephant has different response. They opened the dung slightly way before the elephant is near the dung so that the elephant will not be affected by the movement. The elephant walked so close to the mouse until the extent that its trunk nearly touched the mouse.

But before it nearly touched it, the elephant stop. And then, back off a little and walk in another direction.

The answer toward the myth is- yes, elephants are afraid of mice! Even though their response was calm but they are alert to mice...

But what is the reason behind? Probably it's just like Doraemon's story...
The mice will eat their ears!