Mice are nice, and helpful too

There is something to be said for the public relations savvy of the species Mus musculus, or the common house mouse. Not only has it seamlessly transitioned into the information age as an essential computer accessory, it has also cultivated a persona quite at odds with the scientifically proven aspects of its character. In India, it is associated with the genial god Ganesha while round the world, children grow up loving its Mickey avatar, thanks to Walt Disney’s animated movies and theme parks. In fact, even the fairy-tale heroine Cinderella’s mice sidekicks Jaq and Gus in the Disney movie also convince many about the lovability of these crepuscular creatures. Decades later came Stuart, the winsome white mouse who became the adopted son of the Little family. Mice are nice, was the message.

Now, a viral video of a ‘house-proud’ mouse scuttling around at night diligently picking up hardware carelessly strewn around by a retired British electrician in his garden shed will further bolster its bona fides. The conscientious mouse’s efforts to put every nut, bolt and wire into a plastic box, caught by a hidden camera installed to see if a poltergeist was at work, certainly belies its species’ reputation in some circles of being vermin only interested in gnawing and eating — and occasionally guzzling contraband alcohol in Bihar.