Mouse attacks snake to free friend
Image: Hangzhou Zoo
A mouse that tried to save his friend from being eaten by a snake has been freed by zookeepers.
Both mice were being fed to the poisonous snake at China's Hangzhou Zoo. However, the little hero wasn't willing to go without a fight.
According to zoo keepers, mice usually attempt to hide in the enclosure before becoming dinner. The mouse's bravery was therefore very out of character.
"I have never seen anything like that before," said zookeeper Wen Shao, who was responsible for feeding the snake. "Usually the mice keep as far away from the snake as possible but this one caused a lot of damage."
Mr Shao added that the mouse had been given its freedom after the attack, but it was too late for his friend.
Furthermore, the snake is now having to recover from the ordeal.
"We always give the snakes live food… but the mouse attacked the snake when it saw it trying to eat the other mouse," Mr Shao explained.
"It didn't do the snake any good either. It was expensive and the mouse did a lot of damage biting it on the head."
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
