N. natrix hunting frogs in water or not?
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 3:44 pm
Regarding the topic viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2399 I have a "theoretical" question.
Someone told me once that Natrix natrix just don't hunt frogs in water, only on dry land, which
might be the reason (or one of the reasons) why they tolerate each other's close presence in water
so calmly, as they indeed seem to do.
Is that true?
Of course, if a Natrix natrix decides to hunt fish, which they also do, it has to do it in water,
obviously. But with their main food they have a simpler (?) choice. My impression is that frogs
are much better/faster swimmers than snakes, so hunting them in water is too demanding to
be attempted at all... and the frogs "know" it, as well as the snakes.
Any facts and/or opinions?
Someone told me once that Natrix natrix just don't hunt frogs in water, only on dry land, which
might be the reason (or one of the reasons) why they tolerate each other's close presence in water
so calmly, as they indeed seem to do.
Is that true?
Of course, if a Natrix natrix decides to hunt fish, which they also do, it has to do it in water,
obviously. But with their main food they have a simpler (?) choice. My impression is that frogs
are much better/faster swimmers than snakes, so hunting them in water is too demanding to
be attempted at all... and the frogs "know" it, as well as the snakes.
Any facts and/or opinions?