THESE Cape ground squirrels in South Africa’s portion of the Kalahari desert are mobbing a Cape cobra that has strayed too close to their burrow.
You might expect this to end badly for the squirrels because the snake’s highly potent venom can cause respiratory failure within an hour of being bitten. But the squirrels have a clever tactic to see off the predator.
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Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris) are found across southern Africa. They spend part of their lives underground in labyrinthine burrows that can reach huge sizes and that have up to 100 entrances. But when the squirrels do emerge into the sunlight, the desert is a harsh place. Among their many adaptations to cope with this, are their long, bushy tails that they use as parasols to enable them to spend longer foraging.
These tails are also a great way to ward off threats like the Cape cobra (Naja nivea), which mainly eats rodents and small birds. The squirrels approach the cobra, often in groups, puffing up their tails to appear larger and shaking them to frustrate the attacker. The squirrels use their quick reflexes to dodge the snake’s lethal fangs. If successful, the cobra is eventually driven away by the mob.
Photographer
Jen Guyton,
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