This boomslang was caught off guard when the chameleon he tried to eat actually turned the tables on him and fought back!
The remarkable sighting was captured on camera by 62-year-old Brian Abrahamson during a safari in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.
As we rounded a bend, we noticed a car pulled over at the roadside. My pulse quickened—what could be happening? The driver of the other vehicle flagged us down, pointing toward a nearby tree. There, right beside the road, a boomslang was locked in a tense hunt with a chameleon.
I was with my close friend Peter, and we chose to stay and observe. At first, the snake seemed to have the upper hand, cornering the flap-necked chameleon. Yet the chameleon refused to surrender, launching a surprising counterattack that shifted the balance of the encounter.
Quick and unexpectedly agile, the chameleon bit at the underside of the boomslang, fighting with determination. Its skin shifted from bright lime to deep green, perhaps an attempt to confuse or distract its predator. The struggle was fierce, each move a test of survival.
Above the scene, a brown snake eagle hovered, waiting for its chance. But the eagle was harassed by two lilac-breasted rollers, their vibrant colors adding another layer of drama to the spectacle. The air was alive with tension, predators and defenders all vying for advantage.
The climax came when the boomslang hesitated, wary of the eagle overhead. Once the eagle drifted away, the snake struck decisively, delivering a fatal bite to the chameleon. Moments later, the eagle returned to perch nearby, but the boomslang had already vanished into the grass, leaving the lifeless chameleon hanging in the tree—a reminder that even small encounters in the bush can be as thrilling as any big game sighting.
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