Deputies save hawk with snake wrapped around its neck

Two Florida deputies helped a hawk escape the clutches of a snake on Sunday.

In body camera footage released by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Dasher and Deputy Forero responded to a report of an injured hawk in the roadway. When they got closer, they realized the red-shouldered hawk had a snake coiled around its neck and wing.

“He’s wrapped up pretty good,” one said.

The other deputy used the end of a club to hold down the snake’s head as he untangled its body from the hawk’s. It appeared to be a North American racer (commonly called “black racers”), a nonvenomous snake.

The hawk likely snatched the snake out of a nearby yard for lunch, but the racer had other plans.

“Good job, buddy!” a deputy said after freeing the hawk. “Everybody wins.”

The hawk immediately took off and flew into some nearby trees. The snake was tossed back into the street, as it was no longer on the menu.

“Sheriff Watson is very thankful for Deputy Sheriffs like Dasher and Forero, who go ‘above and beyond’ the call of duty in incidents that may be outside of their normal scope of duty,” the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook. “Great work, gentlemen!”