Watch these acrobatic ‘ninja rats’ evade rattlesnake attacks
Using high-speed cameras and infrared lights, scientists captured remarkable footage of kangaroo rats kicking rattlesnakes in mid-air. At nighttime in the desert, sidewinder rattlesnakes hunt. They sit and wait in the darkness for unsuspecting prey, like kangaroo rats, to cross their paths. However, it has been observed that kangaroo rats have highly sensitive hearing and may be able to thwart an attack before the rattlesnake strikes. Within milliseconds of detecting the rattlesnake, the kangaroo rat will defend itself by contorting its body and leaping to avoid the snake's fangs. Even if the rattlesnake makes contact, the kangaroo rat may still escape if it reacts before venom is injected. It can use forceful, mid-air kicks to dislodge the rattlesnake, leap away, and make its escape.
Read more in "‘Ninja' rat kicks snake in midair in amazing slo-mo video."
Look closely: Lurking in the desert sand is a lethal predator preparing to strike ...
but somehow its prey escapes.
With powerful kicks and soaring jumps, desert kangaroo rats can thwart the attacks of sidewinder rattlesnakes.
Using high-speed cameras, scientists are studying the survival tactics of kangaroo rats in the wild.
They observed that kangaroo rats can often detect ambush attacks thanks to their sensitive hearing.
Within milliseconds, the kangaroo rat will defend itself by contorting its body and leaping to avoid the snake's fangs.
Even if the rattlesnake makes contact, the rat may still escape if it reacts before venom is injected.
It dislodges the snake by forcefully kicking in mid-air with its hindlegs ...
and twists its long tail to right itself and land on its feet.
Then, the kangaroo rat sprints away, living to see another day.
