At a burrow in an Arizona backyard, two ground squirrels faced off with a gopher snake in what turned into an entertaining turf battle. After one animal retreated, the other courageously kept up the fight on its own, as 13 News reported.
What happened?
Homeowner Joe Campbell shared video of the fight to the station and said it unfolded just beyond the kitchen window of his house in Mayer, Arizona.
Campbell told 13 News he saw a gopher snake near the burrow entrance being challenged by a pair of ground squirrels.
After Campbell stepped outside to film, one squirrel ran off, but the second stayed near the burrow.
The duo face off with a mix of tactics and menacing gestures. The squirrel tries everything from kicking up dust and rocks onto the snake in an attempt to force a retreat.
The snake counters by standing its ground and lunging at the squirrel multiple times. That didn't deter the brave squirrel from coming right back to continue standing up to the snake.
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13 News suggested that the squirrels may have been a mated pair and could have been guarding babies in the burrow.
Even though gopher snakes are not venomous, they can still prey on small mammals. Baby squirrels in particular could be easy prey for a snake like that.
Why does it matter?
People and wildlife are sharing more space. In this case, the standoff played out right outside a kitchen window.
As human development expands into natural habitat, animals are more likely to cross paths in yards, driveways, and neighborhoods. Landscaping, outbuildings, and disturbed ground can also create appealing shelter for both prey animals and predators.
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These interactions can affect pets, gardens, property, and local wildlife populations trying to survive along the edges of human communities.
What can I do?
If you live in an area where snakes and small mammals are common, making your yard less inviting to high-conflict wildlife encounters can help. That can include reducing brush piles, sealing gaps under sheds, and keeping pet food indoors.
Watching from indoors, as Campbell first did, is safer for both humans and animals than trying to intervene directly in a predator-prey encounter. Checking around rock piles, wood stacks, and burrow areas can help prevent surprise encounters with snakes, even nonvenomous ones.
Of course, if you don't mind spectating this sort of confrontation, keeping your distance and letting nature run its course is an acceptable option.
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