- A kangaroo rat sits in the desert, alone.
- It is approached by a predatory rattlesnake.
- But the rat won't go down without a fight. Instead, it launches itself in the air.
- Then, the rodent strikes the snake in the head.
- This sends the serpent back to the ground.
- Order is restored.
- In a press release, the University of California, Riverside called the move a "lightning-fast," "ninja-style" kick. This behavior is apparently pretty common for kangaroo rats in the wild.
- "Both rattlesnakes and kangaroo rats are extreme athletes, with their maximum performance occurring during these interactions," Associate professor at UCR Timothy Higham said. "This makes the system excellent for teasing apart the factors that might tip the scale in this arms race."
- It's a cruel, cruel world.
- Watch the short, yet riveting clip below.
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