Not going down without a fright: Plucky crab fights for survival after being snatched from the sand by a hungry heron

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Fighting back: The tiny crab makes a valiant effort to survive after being picked up by a heron on a New Jersey beach


Wading bird stalked the little creature before pouncing

Crustacean buried itself in a bid to evade being eaten

One of nature's David and Goliath battles was played out when this plucky little crab fought back after being plucked from the sand by a hungry heron.

The hardy little crustacean buried itself into the sandbank in a bid to evade capture.

But the sharp-eyed wading bird plunged its beak into the shoreline to retrieve its prey after stalking the little creature for ten minutes.


Crunch: It's game over for the little crustacean as it is crushed in the beak of the flame-eyed wading bird


The tussle, though didn't stop there.

And once in the jaws of what must have seemed like a mighty predator the crab used its claws to fight for survival.

Wildlife photographer Kurt Wecker caught the life-and-death struggle in the small town of Sandy Hook, in New Jersey, US.

Kurt, a 49-year-old graphic designer, said: 'It was one very determined little crab.

'I was driving by and this big heron caught my eye - it had a pretty blue colour and its eyes were glowing red.


Eye spy: The heron stalks its prey on the shoreline in New Jersey


'In the end I spent the day following it around taking photos.

'It would walk along the sand on the shore and look for prey to eat.

'In this case, it stalked the little crab for about ten minutes and waited until it popped out of a tiny hole.

'But the crab wasn't going down without a fight.


In for the kill: The bird moves in to pluck the hiding crustacean which had buried itself in the sand on the New Jersey beach to avoid capture


'Its claws were going crazy and the heron had to drop him and chase him down again a few times.

'But eventually it had enough and just swallowed it down, quick as lightning. There was no messing around.

'The crab did its very best, but the heron was just too much for it.'
The little crab was eventually swallowed whole by the yellow crowned night heron.


source: dailymail