锦绣华南 6

As evening approaches,

an age-old ritual unfolds.

It's the mating season and male paddy frogs are competing for the attention of the females.

But it doesn't always pay to draw too much attention to yourself.

The Chinese Pond Heron is a pitiless predator.

Even in the middle of a ploughed paddy field,

nature is red in beak and claw.

This may look like a slaughter

but as each heron can swallow only one frog at a time,

the vast majority will escape to croak another day.