Out in the desert, life is hard. All organisms are on an endless search for resources and a means to stay alive. Life and death play a big role in this cycle. A grasshopper in the rapturous jaws of a zebra-tailed lizard means toast for one and sweet sweet satisfaction for the other. Thats exactly what I saw with my fellow classmates. As we stalked this little lizard from shrub to shrub for some A++ pictures to put on iNat, we saw a vicious battle unfold. In an effort to avoid being crushed by humans the grasshopper (who shall not be named) made his leap of faith, only to be spotted as an opportunity snack for the lizard. The lizard aborted all escape plans to a new shrub haven, and darted toward the open rocky sand to claim his victim. But the lizard bit more than he could chew, the grasshopper put up a fight! Even as limbs were lost and eyes were swallowed, the grasshopper struggled in vain. The lizard claimed the rest of his meal in peace, camouflaged in the shade of the shrub.

Posted on March 10, 2022 05:00 PM by olesyamalakhova