Crouching tufty, hidden dragon: The amazing Kung Fu squirrels

Daily Mail ^ | 10 Dec 2008 | Sara Nelson

[BGHater]

These incredible pictures of squirrels locked in battle on an African campsite reveal fur as well as punches flying.

This furious pair of Cape Ground Squirrels were snapped taking part in a ferocious squabble in Etosha, Namibia.

The images are so vivid that they almost appear to be staged.

But they were taken on December 5 this year by award-winning British photographer David J. Slater.

In scenes reminiscent of the freeze-frame Kung Fu moves performed by Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix, Slater captured the rodents in a series of battle poses.

The squirrels seem almost elegant as they whirl around in the dust, seemingly unaware of their audience.

The Cape Ground Squirrel is found in the drier parts of Africa and lives in colonies of up to 30.

They are poor climbers so tend to live in interconnecting burrows, which they sometimes share with mongooses.

The rodent uses its bushy tail to shield it from the sun and pumps it up and down as an alarm signal to other members of the pack.

Slater, who was born in Blackburn, won the International Wildbird Photographer of the Year award in 2004.

His work has appeared in various newspapers and wildlife and conservation magazines as well as on the BBC. Freeze frame: The rodents are snapped mid-battle

Ka-pow: The fighters hit the ground

Flee: One takes off but the other is in hot pursuit

Fight club: A group of Cape Ground Squirrels watch the fracas

[roxe]

My caption for this fight is...

“I told you I have a headache!!”

[petro45acp]

“It is a fight between a male and female. Funny that...

Maybe. Dominant male squirrels intentionally castrate lesser males though”

Then the other squirrel’s “procedure” included hormone injections. One of the grounded tree-rats was in full-on “wet-nurse” mode.

Great pictures! Something to keep for later mashing.

Cheers