Male mice flee to female mice to de-escalate fights

In male-on-male mouse squabbles, the victims of aggression often hide behind a female mouse to divert their attacker’s attention.

“Think back to a time when you were confronted by a bully or found yourself in another challenging situation – you either confronted the issue directly or looked for ways to escape it,” says Joshua Neunuebel at the University of Delaware. “Animals often deal with similar struggles.”

Fights between male mice can be vicious, often involving biting, wrestling…