On my way back to the lodge on game drive last night we saw a stunning

Southern white-faced scops-owl [ptilopsis granti]

He was calling a soft but fast hooting doo-doo,doo-doo

We watched him for about 3min then he suddenly went straight

 down to the ground and landed on a spotted bush snake

[philothamnus semivariegatus] around 50cm in length- suddenly a short but fast fight started.

The bush snake had his tail around the scops-owl”s neck, the owl

on his back fighting for his life. After a couple of seconds the owl got hold of the snake’s head and killed it by crushing it with its beak.

Almost the hunter became the hunted.

Story by: Richard Venter- River Lodge Ranger