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If a rattle snake encounters a Californian ground squirrel, what will be the outcome? The rattle snake backs off because of a secret weapon used by the squirrel, which until now has remained invisible to the naked eye.
The rattle snake has special infra red sensors and is able to sense the body heat of a smaller mammal prey and able to attack them easily. It can easily attack and kill a squirrel also but the California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) has a secret weapon that wards off the rattle snake. The squirrel heats up its tail than waves it in the snake’s face, hence confuses the snake, which thinks the squirrel is a bigger animal. The snake senses the heat with the infra red sensor as shown in the video and gets confused by the size of the squirrel.
The scientists when they watched it first, didn’t know how this was possible with the squirrel able to ward off the snake easily. Other animals also may use this infrared weaponry to escape from their predators.
www.newscientist.com
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The rattle snake has special infra red sensors and is able to sense the body heat of a smaller mammal prey and able to attack them easily. It can easily attack and kill a squirrel also but the California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) has a secret weapon that wards off the rattle snake. The squirrel heats up its tail than waves it in the snake’s face, hence confuses the snake, which thinks the squirrel is a bigger animal. The snake senses the heat with the infra red sensor as shown in the video and gets confused by the size of the squirrel.
The scientists when they watched it first, didn’t know how this was possible with the squirrel able to ward off the snake easily. Other animals also may use this infrared weaponry to escape from their predators.
Squirrels wield a hot, secret weapon
A student with an infrared camera has discovered that Californian ground squirrels heat up their tails to ward off rattlesnakes
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