Will the snake become a meal for this predator?
On the lush green grass of the Eagle Valley golf course in Carson City, Nevada, two predators faced off in a tense encounter. The aggressor was a red-tailed hawk (Scientific name: Buteo jamaicensis).
Red-tailed hawk confronts Pacific gopher snake.
Meanwhile, its opponent was a Pacific gopher snake (Scientific name: Pituophis catenifer catenifer) – although the snake is non-venomous, its size posed a significant threat to the hawk.
As a result, the hawk did not rush to attack but rather kept its distance to observe. The Pacific gopher snake can reach lengths of 91–213 cm, making it a challenging prey to tackle. Consequently, after a prolonged period of exploration, the hawk decided to move on.
The video below, uploaded to YouTube, has garnered over 1.4 million views, with many comments praising the bird for wisely assessing the danger posed by the “massive” snake and choosing to leave in search of a better opportunity.
