THIS weasey rider should peck on something its own size in future.
Martin Le-May’s snap of a green woodpecker flying with a weasel on its back
astonished nature lovers yesterday.
The amateur photographer’s shot, taken during a walk with wife Ann at
Hornchurch Country Park, East London, was retweeted thousands of times.
Martin, from Essex, said: “We heard a distressed squawking and I saw a flash
of green. The bird settled into the grass and was hopping like it was
treading on a hot surface.
“There was lots of flapping then it flew in our direction.
“We could see it had a small mammal on its back. I realised it was struggling
for its life.”
BBC Two’s Springwatch presenter Chris Packham told The Sun: “Seeing such an
event would be a once-in-many-lifetimes affair, to capture it on camera is
brilliant.
“Just as well, as few would have believed the tale otherwise.
“Weasels are ferocious.
“Their slim shape allows them to pursue their typical prey, mice and voles,
through their tunnels.
“But they’re famed for punching above their weight, as this confirms.
“Hats off to the woodpecker for surviving and giving the weasel the ride of
its life.”
Here, we peck out some other incredible animal escapades.
Pope’s doves attacked by seagull
A SCREECHING seagull attacks a white dove just moments after it was released
by a child as a gesture of peace in front of Pope Francis.
Despite being in Vatican City, the dove didn’t have a prayer.
Water buffalo throws lion into air
A WATER buffalo twice flings a lion into the air during a skirmish in South
Africa’s Kruger National Park.
The lion had tried to attack another one of the herd but met its match.
Kruger’s notorious water buffalo previously fought off crocodiles and a
lion at the same time after a calf was targeted.
Snake devours crocodile
A PYTHON slowly devours a crocodile following a five-hour duel at an
Australian lake last year.
This picture shows the final throes of the scrap, with the snake swallowing
the croc whole after dragging it from Lake Moondarra in Queensland.
Elephant sits on VW Polo
IN serious need of a good scratch, a bull elephant eyes up a VW Polo before
rubbing itself against the vehicle’s roof and bonnet.
The huge beast has a quick sit down before moving on in South Africa’s
Pilanesberg National Park, with no injuries caused and no damage to the car
– well, not the trunk anyway.
Rhino tries to help baby zebra
COMING to the aid of a baby zebra, a rhino gently lifts the mud-soaked animal
after it became stuck.
Sadly, after carefully retrieving the stricken infant from the mud at a South
African wildlife park, the rhino moved to check on it again, accidentally
disembowelling it as it moved to lift it.