Witnesses at the scene were perplexed to see how the rodent challenged the predator on a London road in an unusual confrontation shared by ABC News.
An unexpected confrontation between two of London’s most common animals, a fox and a rat, paralyzed a street in the west of the city yesterday, Thursday, June 6, surprising passersby.
The video of the incident, captured by a witness and broadcast by the North American network ABC News, showed the curious confrontation, highlighting the growing problems faced by the city due to the increase in the presence of both species.
Besides: Video: YouTuber arrested after shooting fireworks at a Lamborghini from a helicopter
Janthe viral clip, You can see a fox trotting calmly next to a rat when, suddenly, the rodent decides to launch itself into the air to attack its rival.
The predator, surprised by the rat’s audacity, instinctively retreats while the small animal quickly scurries down the road.
But the fight didn’t end there. The largest and strongest animal decided to chase its adversary and both exchanged several attacks in an unusual confrontation. The rat, brave or perhaps desperate, repeatedly jumped on the fox, who tried to bite his opponent again.
The scene was so striking that it even stopped traffic for a moment. A cyclist on a bicycle had to stop to avoid the altercation.
The witness who recorded the video exclaimed in surprise: “What are we seeing, wow!”. However, the clip concludes with the fox defeating the mouse and taking it in its mouth.
The video quickly went viral, accumulating thousands of views and reactions on social networks such as x and instagram.
The reactions on social media were varied; one user commented: “Anyone else intrigued to know how this ended?” Another added: “Nature in a concrete jungle.” A third joked: “The fox will no longer be able to look his companions in the face.”
For its part, the British newspaper Daily Mail noted that this curious duel occurred in a context of concern about the growing population of rats and foxes in London.
Recent reports have noted a significant increase in the number of these animals in the city. According to London Wildlife Trustit is estimated that there are around 10,000 urban foxes in the British capital.
Also read: What a scare! A Boeing made an emergency landing after catching fire with more than 300 passengers
On the other hand, the number of rats has also increased significantly in recent months. The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) has reported a 115% increase in inquiries about rat control in the last three months of the year.
Paul Batesa London-based pest controller, told Mirror that calls for rat infestations have been on the rise since the pandemic: “In 2022 there was an increase of 6% compared to 2021 and last year it was 3% higher. Since December I have received 235 calls about rats, which is a lot compared to normal.”
The causes of this increase may be diverse. Bates suggests that reductions in rubbish collection and poor maintenance of drains and sewers, combined with urban foxes learning to open rubbish bins and scatter food scraps, are creating an environment ripe for rats.
With agency summary.
