A spine-chilling video has captured the moment a tiny woodpecker confronted a 10-foot snake to save her eggs. The video, filmed 11 years ago in Peru, resurfaced on the Internet on Sunday when it was shared by Indian Forest Services officer Susanta Nanda.
In the video, the crimson crested woodpecker is seen fighting furiously with the snake which emerged from a hole in a tree. It shows the bird repeatedly attacking the reptile, and getting bitten at least four times during the battle. Each time the snake strikes, it falls to the ground but defiantly flies up again.
According to Metro News, the scene was captured in 2009 by Israeli tourist Assaf Admoni during a holiday to Peru. On YouTube, a version of this video has received 8 million views.
"We think the snake was looking for eggs or chicks and the woodpecker arrived to find it had moved in while she was away," he said. "It really looked like the female was acting frantically out of maternal instinct. She just kept racing up the tree and attacking the snake on its side."
Mr Nanda, while sharing the video on Twitter Sunday, wrote: All the forces on this planet, will never beat that of a mothers love. Woodpecker saving its chicks after a fierce air duel with the snake."
Watch the battle below:
All the forces on this planet, will never beat that of a mothers love.
— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) March 1, 2020
Wood pecker saving its chicks after a fierce air duel with the snake???????? pic.twitter.com/mvBo7OWN74
The video has been viewed more than 11,000 times since it was shared on the microblogging platform.
Really amazing
— Dr. Karunendra Kumar (@BuddhHans) March 2, 2020
Ohh god.. i got some scary feeling ???????? nd i can't stop my tears while seeing this.. ????
— sravani (@sravani950570) March 2, 2020
The woodpecker is believed to have died in the fight with the snake.
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