Media release

From: The Royal Society

Frightened of giants: fear responses to elephants approach that of predators

Animals are often faced with a variety of dangers or threats. While it is well-known that animals fear dangerous predators, the extent to which other types of dangers cause fear in animals remains unclear. Using a behavioral experiment, we show that fear responses of ungulates to a large and dominant herbivore, the African bush elephant, are strong in an African savanna. These responses were often similar to fear of ungulates to a top predator, the leopard. These results suggest large and dominant non-predatory species, like elephants, can create fear in other animals, which may have several ecological consequences.

Fear of giants – The big friendly giants of the animal kingdom may not be perceived as such by other animals in the African savannah. Wildebeest, nyala, and impala were played the sounds of elephants, leopards and cuckoos and their responses were observed. Trumpeting elephants sent wildebeest and impala bolting; the same fear response seen in response to natural predators like leopards. Fear responses to large herbivores that are not a natural threat may have ecological consequences, such as changes in habitat uses.