Got this from a daily scientific nifty-neato email service. The resulting mental picture was too much fun not to pass on.
"Most animals go out of their way to avoid rattlesnakes, since their
venom is strong enough to kill even large creatures. But the
California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi) has quite a
different strategy for dealing with the venomous predator.
If a rattlesnake is seen anywhere near a ground squirrel nest, the
squirrels immediately mount an offensive campaign. They rush in and
out, kicking sand at the snake, even biting it if they can. A snake
might be buried in dirt and pebbles, or even killed by the feisty
squirrels.
The adult squirrels are partly immune to rattlesnake venom. A
squirrel that is bitten by the snake during the fight usually suffers
no long-term damage. Young squirrels are not quite so immune, so
they tend to stay out of the fray."
Thanx to The Learning Channel…
