On a hot July evening, I thought that I heard a faint cry coming from the pond. It sounded like it was saying "Ow...Ow...Ow" in a small voice.
I ran over and visually scanned the pond area, but I couldn't determine where the sound was actually coming from. I hurriedly grabbed my camera gear and zoomed in on a small, distant Bullfrog that was sitting in front of a hole in the high clay wall of the pond.
As I looked on in amazement, a larger Bullfrog crawled out of the water, leaped up the bank, attempted to grab the smaller frog, then tumbled back into the water. The large frog did this several times, as my camera shutter snapped. I assumed that they were simply feuding over territory, but I couldn't have been more wrong.
When I was able to see what was actually going on, the small frog had been swallowed nearly up to his neck, by a Water Snake that was hiding deep within the hole. The adult Bullfrog had apparently been trying to rescue the smaller one from the snake's deadly jaws.
As I realized the severity of the situation, I gasped and quickly searched the area for a weapon. I angrily armed myself with a long stick and ran to the back ledge of the pond, above the area where the frog was being attacked. I hung precariously over the edge of the pond and furiously poked the snake with the stick until it regurgitated the frog, in order to escape my wrath. The small, thinly-stretched frog let out a loud squeak, tumbled down the pond bank and rolled into the water with a welcomed splash.
The large Bullfrog peered up at me, in apparent appreciation, then turned and belly-flopped into the relative safety of the water. I wished the frogs well and went on my way.
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| Bullfrog being eaten by a Water Snake |
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