Epic battle between biting snake and salamander caught on video. It ends badly

The strange moment two predators bit each other on the mouth and refused to let go was caught on video and shared by the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.

State biologists say the “skirmish” involved a garter snake and red salamander, the latter of which was trying not to be eaten by the snake.

The video, which has been viewed 14,000 times since Saturday, shows the garter snake trying to escape after the salamander clamped down on its lower jaw.

Neither species is dangerous to humans, but garter snakes eat red salamanders.

The very stubborn salamander was still alive when the victorious snake swallowed it in “the final chomp,” state officials said. This happened after the snake resorted to tossing its prey, over and over.

“In desperation, the garter snake employed his classic death roll maneuver,” state officials wrote.

“Although he shall forever be remembered for his tenacity and bravery in the face of death (literally), the red salamander did succumb to the garter snake’s powerful efforts and was eventually consumed. However, the struggle was long and admirable,” Alabama officials posted.

Tanner Robinson says he filmed the video Saturday outside a cabin he owns in rural Cherokee County, in northeast Alabama. He was doing yard work when he heard a “rustling in the leaves.”

“They went at it for awhile. It lasted about 10 minutes,” Robinson told McClatchy News.

“It was cool to see something like that basically in my front yard, but it was also hard to watch. This is nature and it happens every day, but you still want to intervene. I decided it was best not to interrupt nature, you know.”

Garter snakes are among the most common snakes in the country and are known to “immobilize their prey with their sharp teeth and quick reflexes,” according to Livescience.com.

However, that apparently didn’t work as planned with the salamander, which won fans on social media.

“That salamander (is) not going down easy to that garter snake. Never give up,” Greg Chapman wrote on the state’s Facebook page.

“That garter snake picked on the wrong salamander lol,” Charlie Thornton posted.

This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Epic battle between biting snake and salamander caught on video. It ends badly."