Tag: rare footage

Guide in Africa captures rare footage of bird bathing in ants

The footage might make your skin crawl, but hornbills and other birds initiate this behavior as sort of a spa treatment.

A guide for a safari lodge in South Africa has captured extraordinary footage showing a large hornbill perched atop an ant hill while allowing the insencts to swarm over its body.

Yes, the accompanying footage might make your skin crawl. But this behavior is initiated by certain birds as sort of a spa treatment.

“This is very rarely seen but guide Zaan Snaps had an eagle eye this day and spotted a hornbill practicing a behaviour called anting!” Umkumbe Bush Lodge exclaimed Wednesday via Instagram. “This is when birds purposely sit atop an ants nest and allow ants to crawl all over and this assists with cleaning the bird of parasites.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCluqx2KXt3/

The lodge, which shared the footage, jokingly described the event as “next-level dust bathing.”

The lodge also explained: “Ants secrete formic acid as a form of deterring predators but some birds absolutely love it.

“It is believed that passive anting could have a few benefits: 1. Parasite control, 2. Feather maintenance, 3. Stimulation of feather growth, 4. Self Stimulation.”

Besides “passive anting,” certain birds practice “active anting,” during which birds pick up ants with their bills and rub them against their feathers.

From Britannica: “A great deal of controversy has existed over the function of anting. Some authorities have theorized that it is a form of self-stimulation, but most ornithologists conclude that anting is a type of feather maintenance.

“Formic acid and other ant fluids are known to be insecticidal; dressing the feathers with ants would thus kill or deter avian parasites, such as lice and mites.”

Sea lions exhibit remarkable prowess while surfing giant waves

Extraordinary footage shows sea lions surfing massive waves at a remote California island in 2021.

A marine-themed Instagram page on Sunday shared footage of California sea lions surfing massive waves in a striking exhibition of power and agility.

Seven Seas Explorer credited Pacific Offshore Expeditions but provided no further details.

We recall the scene vividly because Ryan Lawler of Pacific Offshore Expeditions shared the same footage with For The Win Outdoors hours after the January 2021 encounter. (See both clips posted below.)

Lawler and a documentary crew stumbled upon the surfing pinnipeds at Santa Barbara Island west of Los Angeles.

“As we rounded the southern portion of the island, which has an islet called Sutil Island, we noticed sea lions flying out of the back of the waves. It was an awesome moment,” Lawler said.

“I had never seen that before at this island, which is well known for its sea lions.”

As viewers can see, the sea lions exhibit remarkable prowess on waves generated by a powerful storm to the north.

The footage was captured via high-speed photography, too fast to record sound. But Lawler shared the the same clip to Facebook,  playing to the famous Surfaris tune, “Wipeout.”

That footage is posted above.

Watch: Courageous zebra rescues baby from lion attack

The accompanying footage, showing a mother zebra rushing to the rescue of her foal under attack by a female lion, might be difficult for some to watch.

The accompanying footage, showing a mother zebra rushing to the rescue of her foal under attack by a female lion, might be difficult for some to watch.

But the footage, captured by Mmbangiseni Milton Tshiolol in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, appears to have a happy ending in that momma zebra’s furious charge – and kick to the lion’s head – persuades the stunned predator to at least temporarily abandon its hunt.

https://www.facebook.com/100003045871320/videos/3555005701392629/

The footage, shared Wednesday to the Kruger Sightings Facebook page, appears to have been captured from a photo safari vehicle.

Tshiolol, at the time of this post, had not responded to an inquiry by FTW Outdoors.

Reads one of the top comments: “Absolutely amazing, the strength of a mom’s love for her young.”

Reads another comment, pertaining to concerns over the baby zebra’s possible injuries: “That young foal will be fine, have seen throat holds that lasted twice as long and they survive without more than a bruising.”

Watch: Rarely seen Everglades mink captures ‘giant’ snake

A Florida resident has captured extraordinary footage showing an Everglades mink scampering across a road with a large snake it had just captured.

A Florida resident has captured extraordinary footage showing an Everglades mink scurrying across a dirt road with a large snake it had just captured.

Hannah Cardenas sent her footage to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The FWC, explaining that mink sightings are rare because of the animals’ elusive nature, shared the footage via Facebook on Monday, stating:

“Imagine the surprise seeing this Everglades mink scampering across the road carrying DINNER! A mother and daughter were on their way home from a nature hike in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park when they spotted this mink run across the road in front of them – seconds later, it ran BACK across the road with a GIANT SNAKE in its mouth!”

Mink occasionally prey on snakes longer than their body lengths. They also eat fish, birds, and small mammals.

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According to the FWC website, mink are difficult to study in terms of abundance and distribution “because this species is small sized, fast moving, and excellent at remaining out of sight. They are often confused with the much larger and more common river otter.”

Mink are listed as threatened in Florida.

–Image courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission