This black rat snake caught a squirrel at Peregrine Farm. Farmer Alex Hitt said that he had problems with squirrels eating his tomatoes all summer. We first saw the snake on the ground, then about an hour later heard the attack and found the snake wrapped around the squirrel up the tree. Once the squirrel was dead, the snake started swallowing it head-first but then dropped down to the ground to finish the long process of swallowing his prey.

For the record, I did feel bad for the squirrel! But my fascination with the snake kept me watching. I used to have pet snakes as a kid, and watched many mice go down the hatch...