Regrettably, details about the location or the individual who filmed this sequence are unknown.
Presumed dead
As we join the action in this interesting video we are met with an impressive sight. One of Africa’s largest raptors, a martial eagle, stands over the motionless body of a monitor lizard.
With its head bowed, it casts a shadow over its victim. Pecking at it with its hooked beak, the magnificent eagle appears to be feeding.
According to studies, monitor lizards are one of the main prey species of martial eagles in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. So, it is not unusual that it has caught one. What is unusual is that it was caught on film.
Piercing eyes
Eagles have incredible eyesight, able to spot prey like monitor lizards despite their excellent camouflage, from great heights. When they look at you, it is like they are looking into your soul.
The eagle is keeping a wary eye on the person holding the camera, as if daring them to come closer.
Mantling
Possibly unnerved by their presence, the eagle spreads its wings, throwing shade over its victim. This behaviour is called mantling, and is performed to hide their prey from potential scavengers.
With its beak open, the eagle pants in the midday heat. As it does, we notice that despite earlier assumptions, the big lizard is still alive.
However, try as it may, there seems to be little it can do to escape the clutches of the raptor’s massive talons. Their talons can exert a crushing force of 200 PSI, enough to break bones and virtually impossible to escape.
Writhing for freedom
For their part, monitor lizards are also powerful creatures, and this one writhes beneath the eagle, trying to leverage some advantage over its attacker.
As it happens, the lizard is far from dying, and its continued wrestling sees the eagle struggling to subdue it.
Then something amazing happens. Somehow, the lizard manages to free its upper body. In the process, it turns its head and bites the eagle on the upper thigh.
In the image above, note the eagle’s massive claw.
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Tables turned
Although the eagle still has a firm grip on the lizard, the lizard is not about to let go either. Because of the eagle’s thick feathers, it is hard to tell the exact severity of the lizard’s bite.
That said, the eagle is certainly not happy about it, and does its best to free itself.
Frantically flapping its wings, it is now the eagle that cannot escape the grip of its foe. As the pair continue to fight, we finally get a view of the lizards head, latched onto the eagle’s thigh as if its life depends on it.
Which it kind of does.
Unknown conclusion
Unfortunately, it is at this critical moment that the video comes to a sudden end. As a result, we have no idea which of the two species emerged as the victor.
What is also unclear is the extent of the injuries each of the animals may have suffered. We’d suggest, however, that an injury to the eagle’s leg could be far more serious, as it would limit its ability to grasp future prey.
