Death is Milliseconds Away…
Mon, May 11, 2009
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Image: Photographer unknown via Izismile
Unless there’s some Photoshop trickery afoot here, this photo makes you want to shout, “He’s behind you!”, because you know that the cute little robin is as good as a gone. Yet there is a morbid fascination about the way we are often most keen to watch animals in their natural setting when they are busy gobbling one another up. The photos collected here add something else to the whole guzzling theme, capturing as they do creatures enjoying their lasts moments in this world before the jaws of death close on them forever. Been dying to say it: om nom nom nom nom nom nom.
Image: Chris and Monique Fellows via ny nerd
The seal may be one of the ocean’s top predators but there’s just no contest when it comes face to face with that most deadly of sharks, the great white. The seal takes one look into those stony black eyes and turns on its flippers – but too late! Despite being over three times as long and almost ten times the weight of its mammalian prey, the great white is not nearly as agile. It must attack from below, bursting out of the water, so that there is only one way the seal can go: down into its gaping maw.
Image: Adam Britton
The photo above shows a mud crab that looks destined to become crab sticks being tossed into the nutcracker-like jaws of the Australian saltwater crocodile. There, it is set be put through the grinder at the back of the croc’s mouth. The saltwater crocodile is especially partial towards the mud crab, but it has to be quick, efficient and brutal or else the crafty crustacean may make its escape, or even fight back with a powerful and painful pinch of it pincer. P-ouch!
Image: David Maitland via j-walk blog
It’s difficult to say who’s eating who in this snapshot of a struggle between a Morelet’s tree frog and a cat-eyed tree snake, which lasted for hours through the night in the tropical forest of Belize. Locked together in a deadly embrace, neither the kicking tree frog – who you’d have to say is quite handy – nor the stubborn tree snake showed any sign of weakening or backing down from the stalemate. In the end it was photographer David Maitland who gave in and went to bed.
Image: Kerry Roberts via Where Light Meets Dark
If there was uncertainty in the last shot about whether the tree frog would get it, there sure isn’t here. What bites you on the nose this time is that the squealing, splashing frog is getting eaten alive by… another frog – a cannibalistic green-striped frog to be precise, and one no larger than its tree-dwelling cousin. Cannibalism is unsettling at the best of times, but when it’s in your own back garden, it’s really going to give you a shock – as it did Queensland, Australia resident Kerry Roberts. Still, it just goes to show: it’s a frog eat frog world.
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popurls.com // popular today Says:
May 12th, 2009 at 2:40 pmpopurls.com // popular today…
story has entered the popular today section on popurls.com…
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Cuando una animal esta apunto de morir y no lo sabe Says:
May 12th, 2009 at 4:12 pm[...] Cuando una animal esta apunto de morir y no lo sabe www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/death-is-milliseconds… por mezvan hace pocos segundos [...]
May 12th, 2009 at 2:28 am
Regarding the first photo with the bird, I think it’s fake. We can’t see the background clearly; their seems to be too much open space between the snake and the bird; and the bird isn’t occupied with anything to not notice the snake.
I also have a strong aversion to the picture because I have a parrot that I have had for 14 years, that I love, and flies around the house. That picture is one of my worst nightmare.
May 12th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
First pic looks a bit fake.
May 12th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
The top image with the Robin is a Photoshop special
May 12th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I’ve seen the one with snake and frog that won a prize and the rest of them are amazingly good. Nature at it’s best. Thanks for sharing.
May 12th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Awesome. thanks for putting the pics on 1 PAGE :)
May 12th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Wow, that shark one looks scary!
RT
http://www.privacy-resources.us.tc
May 12th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
That first picture is so photoshopped. It looks like the snake was being milked for venom and the person cut out the milking jar. Notice that the snake’s fangs aren’t extended? How could you not see that this photo was rigged?
May 12th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Nice pictures. Not something we can see everyday..
May 12th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
The first one was from a fark photoshop contest. http://www.fark.com/cgi/comments.pl?IDLink=1886950
May 12th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
That’s no robin. That’s a streetlight.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
What wonderful snapshots. Normally I would cringe at the thought of such things but your presentation is so well done and these photographs are so fascinating that I just can’t help but stare.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Good grief! Now every time my husband comes up behind me, it’s just never going to be the same!
May 12th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Those pictures are sick
the last frog eating frog is so intense
I can not look at it more than a few seconds because it is agitating me :0
I like the first pic tho, that is what we call power, speed and funny.
May 12th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
The first two are obvious photoshops, the last three, are allot more believable
May 12th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
wow… very scary images. would hate to be on of those poor bastards about to be devoured.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
The first picture is photoshopped. The lighting on the snake and the bird are clearly different. Otherwise these are some cool shots.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I would say the very first picture maybe photoshopped because I am sure that I have seen that picture of the robin sans snake. But then again I could be mistaken. I shall instead say that I believe I am right because I can tell by the pixels. :P
May 12th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
The first photo is just one of many photoshops depicting all sorts of horrible fates awaiting the famous Fark post sparrow.
Long live the post sparrow.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Unique moments to be photographed. Scary photos indeed.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
They are all PHOTOSHOPED!!!
ALL OF THEM
May 12th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
wow a frog eating another frog. It’s possible??
Maybe is her son.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Well, using Firefox 3.1 and Adblock, none of the picture appears. This blogsite is broke.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
I see the pixels on the first picture. I’ve seen alot of shops in my day.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Awesome pictures, and great stories. I think I’ve been through this page over and over and still enjoy the astounding photos with pleasure.
Great work. Thanks a lot.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
That first image with the bird and snake is from a Fark photoshop contest.
http://www.fark.com
May 12th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
the shark photo is amazing! Remind me of the national geographic planet earth series.
May 12th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
OMG…what a poor frog
May 12th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Great pictures!
May 12th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Reminds me of how short life is.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:14 am
wondering if there’s a snapshot of what happened a second later in the 1st picture. Maybe the little robin flew away, nooo??
May 13th, 2009 at 1:14 am
I liked the last picture best. I mean the rock looks like a giant hand holding the frogs with its giant thumb and index finger D: wow im high
May 13th, 2009 at 1:57 am
THESE ARE JUST AWFUL. CANT WE GET ANIMALS TO RESPECT EACH OTHER -LETS HELP THEM TO BECOME VEGANS .THEY WILL BECOME SO MUCH BETTER AND FIND INNER PEACE.
May 13th, 2009 at 2:20 am
BLOODY SCAREY
May 13th, 2009 at 2:33 am
Thank you for linking through to my site on the “Frog eats frog” article. It seems that consumption is a frog’s unfortunate destiny. Here’s another one, being taken by a green tree python which was on the grounds of Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo when I visited.
http://www.wherelightmeetsdark.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=64
Regards,
Chris.
May 13th, 2009 at 2:49 am
First picture is fake, bad Photoshop work.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:04 am
I partikulairly liked it when the fighter jet approaches the insurgents behind the picture you see with the snake and the bird. You clearly see that our investigative intelligence has given us the truth and power to unleash those jets. Very nice capture and I am glad I managed to find it on the Google.
Signed,
George W.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:34 am
1st and 2nd picture are clearly shopped…
Te rest are great, but come on, don´t try to fool people!
May 14th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I have to agree with the first pic being fake. Which ever way make sure you keep these priceless pictures backed up. I use Safecopy online backup, http://www.safecopybackup.com, to backup all my pictures. I also share them with my families around the world. I’m very happy with it. You should check it out and make sure you keep these pictures safe.
May 16th, 2009 at 4:11 am
Yea. I love that snake eating bird. Snake is my least favorite anime, but i have to admit I like their hunting skill and eating skill :0
May 16th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
The first picture is definitely photoshopped. I can tell by the pixels…haha. It’s actually from an old fark.com photoshop contest where everyone couldn’t kill the bird enough.
May 17th, 2009 at 1:48 am
At least one of these photos were manipulated using Adobe Photoshop Software anyone?
May 17th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
The first two are faked???
Why would anyone think the seal/shark one is faked, this is a common occurence in nature (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHnS8_0da6A).
The other one though; a snake attacking a Robin Red Breast (there’s a WTF!? on it’s own!) in a *downward* motion, whilst the bird is sitting on *top* of a fence, I do have to say, that’s not a very common occurence in nature :)
May 20th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
amazing photographs
May 21st, 2009 at 7:15 am
The first photo with the bird is from a photoshop contest on the website Fark.com. It’s old…around a year to year-and-a-half.
May 24th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Fangs on the snake look jacked up imho.
May 30th, 2009 at 7:40 am
these scenes are really horrible
June 19th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
@me(person under John Davis): Snakes fangs do not extend out of the sheath they are in until they actually get to something, or if they are being milked.
The first photo is indeed a PhotoShop. The snake shown is a rattlesnake, and would not be up in the air as it is while the strike is happening. Also, if you look closely, you may be able to notice what I call an invisible line around both the snake and the bird/post. This happens when items are photoshopped, as the process creates an outline that isnt quite natural.
June 21st, 2009 at 3:48 pm
These pictures do prove that death is waiting and lurking behind us, watching our footsteps. They show the battle for life being both won and lost as the predator is fed to survive at the cost of the prey’s life. Beautiful pictures. Death is really beautiful.
June 28th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
all are amaging and exilant.thank you very very much may god blass youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu………………………..
July 16th, 2009 at 3:42 am
Wow some wonderful pictures and a moving site! I take alot of pics myself and love to share them..
July 19th, 2009 at 11:47 am
The first photo seems fake but others are amazing! Nature at its best!
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:01 am
In fact the second picture of the seal and shark was not photoshopped. It was on Planet Earth and around the internet for last few years ever since the footage was captured. On that note, great whites were documented attacking seals above water (instead of from beneath) by jumping out full length out of water and snapping the seal midair. They also chase seals around on the surface, as well. It is definitely not a photoshop job and an amazing natural occurrence like PW said above!
July 22nd, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Those are some stunning images!
July 25th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
hehe the last photo of the frog is funny, looks like they’re just good friends!
July 27th, 2009 at 5:08 am
Great pictures
August 6th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Very interesting pics. Such views we can not see with simple eye. Nature is great.
August 13th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
I’m still hoping that robin got away!!
There is another shot I’ve seen around of a rat being swallowed by a snake, and the poor little rat is just sitting there hopelessly, looking out of the snake’s mouth as he’s being swallowed down… that kills me… :(
This is something thing about nature that I’ve never been able to accept… it’s cruel… it has no mercy… it can be so heartbreaking…
August 21st, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Simply Amazing
September 13th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
LOVE THIS SITE! this is by far an awesome website to go to if you are bored. if you love entertaining and suspenseful pictures, you are at the right place.
September 18th, 2009 at 4:27 am
Oopz… the great white one… really chilling
October 11th, 2009 at 7:11 am
all the creatures especially the cute robin bird are in the death second yet they are happy . but we human beings are not at all happy yet we have everything. learn from the bird , leave all ur worries and be happy . Indeed the Lord cares for you
November 4th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
The struggle between the frog and the snake is just epic.