At San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, a squirrel goes toe-to-toe with a rattlesnake. | NBC News

RATTLESNAKE VS CALIFORNIA GROUND SQUIRREL At the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge in California, a California ground squirrel was observed tossing wood chips, jumping around and flicking its tail at a southern Pacific rattlesnake, likely in response to the snake having just eaten another squirrel. The dramatic encounter lasted at least eight minutes. But why bother if the snake already ate? Because ground squirrels don’t just protect themselves, they defend their burrows, warn nearby squir