A photographer captured a mind-blowing image of a snake coiled around a bird’s neck during an epic fight for survival.
Wildlife photographer and engineer Marcos Rodriguez shot the 20-minute-long battle between a great blue heron and a banded water snake in the Orlando Wetlands in Christmas, Florida.
Rodriguez, who is based in Orlando, Florida, says he captured the viral image unexpectedly as he was leaving, spotting the exact moment when the bird seized the snake from the marsh in his peripheral vision.
But as the heron grabbed its prey, the snake fought back fiercely, wrapping itself around the bird’s beak and neck in a desperate struggle for survival.
“It happened by chance as I was making my way out, as I happened to notice from the corner of my eye the exact moment when the great blue heron snatched the banded water snake from the marsh,” Rodriguez tells PetaPixel.
“When I took it, I knew it was going to be special. Everything needing to go right did that afternoon, good light, close distance, lots of action, you name it.”
As Rodriguez snapped the images, he had no idea whether the heron or the snake was going to come out on top in the tussle and the battle between the pair seemed to blur the line between predator and prey.
The photographer says the fight between the two animals felt like “a non-stop saga” but he kept on shooting. Eventually, the heron emerged victorious, wearing the snake down before finally consuming it.
“The struggle lasted about 20 minutes, where at times it became unclear who was going to come out on top,” Rodriguez, who goes by @wild.tigre on Instagram, says.
“The great blue heron was determined to have its meal, but the snake was not going to make it easy as it coiled around the bird’s neck holding on in sheer survival instinct.
“After about 20 minutes, the great blue heron finally tired out the snake and ended up with a well-deserved meal.”
‘A Moment That Will Be Hard to Recreate’
Rodriguez captured the photos in the Orlando Wetlands on February 28. However, the images went viral on social media this month — with viewers praising the unbelievable shots.
“This picture without a doubt has been one of my most special ones to date, and a moment that will be hard to recreate, and at the end, that is the beauty of photography,” Rodriguez says. “I’m now set to capture my next most amazing picture.”
Rodriguez — who started photographing his Australian Shepherd dog Heisenberg as a hobby 10 years ago — says he has received numerous requests from people eager to turn his striking image of the heron and snake into a tattoo.
“Funny enough the picture became a sensation among the tattoo enthusiasts,” Rodriguez says. “Tons of people made comments about getting the image tattooed, which as a photographer it has been the best compliment I have ever received.”
“For someone to make the commitment to permanently display one of your pictures on them, I mean nothing beats that.”
Marcos Rodriguez’s photos can be found on his Instagram and his website.
Image credits: All photos by Instagram/wild.tigre.