Nature Is Metal

As members of the same delphinid family, orcas and dolphins share traits like intelligence, social structures, and vocal communication. But in the wild, family ties mean nothing. Orcas are apex predators, and dolphins, despite their speed and agility, sometimes find themselves on the wrong end of their cousins’ aggression. 📽 by @alexander_legaspi - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? Comment "Submit" and I will personally DM you a link to my submission page. I check the page at least once per day

In a South African Game Reserve, two young lionesses resting in the grass are attacked by three female hyenas. Normally, spotted hyenas wouldn’t risk attacking a lion pride without something to gain, like bullying the lions off of a kill. But these lionesses, only 1.5 to 2 years old, are alone and vulnerable after losing the rest of their litter mates to male lions over a year ago. Without the protection of a pride, they’ve had to survive on their own, making them an easy target for opportunistic hyenas. With no food nearby, the hyenas attack unprovoked. The lionesses roared in defense, but the hyenas’ numbers and their own inexperience forced them to flee. Minutes later, the sisters reunited with only minor injuries. This strange clash highlights the bitter rivalry between lions and spotted hyenas, where skirmishes can happen even when there’s nothing to gain. 📽 by @misrokian - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

I'm sharing this for everyone who doesn't know why dog toys squeak. Sure, dogs and foxes aren’t directly related, but they share a common ancestor, and their behaviors reveal a lot about why squeaky toys are so popular. The sound mimics the noises of small prey, tapping into the predatory instincts that drive animals like foxes and dogs to chase, catch, and shake what they catch. Only in this case, that is a live groundhog they are playing around with, as the lead fox carries it in its mouth while the other chases. The fox holding the groundhog is asserting control over its prize, while the other playfully tests its ability to steal it away. What looks like plain fun is also instinct-driven behavior, this helps to reinforce hunting skills along with social dynamics. This might look and feel a bit morbid, but it’s a natural part of how predators sharpen their instincts and learn to survive. 📽 by @wlouns - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

Unshakable Optimism For top predators like mountain lions and bears, the head of their prey is far less valuable than its body. It takes much more work to access its nutrients and the rewards are far less satisfying. For a scavenging coyote, a free meal is a free meal. Coyotes thrive on opportunity, and what a larger predator leaves behind can still provide critical nourishment. While the head lacks the calorie-rich muscles and organs of the body, it’s not without value. The brain, though small, is packed with fats, and the eyes and cheek muscles offer additional protein. For a scavenger, these smaller bits can be the difference between survival and starvation. What makes the head especially appealing to a coyote is its portability. Unlike a heavier carcass, a coyote can easily carry the head to a safer location, avoiding competition with larger animals. While apex predators focus on maximizing their caloric intake, coyotes succeed by making the most of what others leave behind. In a harsh ecosystem where every scrap counts, even the less desirable remains of a kill become an essential resource for opportunistic scavengers like coyotes. 📽 by @vishalsubramanyan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

The magnetic allure of the female is undeniable. The male was separated from her for only a fleeting moment, but found her absence profoundly unsettling. It was as if her presence had become an essential part of his very being. Compelled by an overwhelming desire to reunite, he took to the road less traveled, driven by an instinctive need to return to her side. The power of their bond is so great that even the briefest separation seemed an eternity, and risking the end of his own life was worth it to unite them once again. Even though this looked really bad, according to the man recording, both the buck and his one and only trotted away right as rain. 📽 by @igorniaga - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

Everything about this one is weird. First off, it’s a skunk attacking a deer fawn—definitely not what you’d expect. And skunks are nocturnal, except for this one, who decided broad daylight was the perfect time to pick a fight. Strange all around. Skunks are opportunistic feeders, usually going for insects, small rodents, or carrion. But this one saw an unguarded fawn and went for it, likely because it seemed like an easy meal. Daytime activity for a skunk is unusual, often linked to hunger or a disrupted routine, which might explain why this one was so bold. While this behavior is rare, it’s a good reminder that nature doesn’t always follow the rules. Even a skunk, normally a quiet forager under the cover of night, can surprise you by stepping into the daylight and taking on prey way outside its usual menu. 📽 by @joesangl - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

Deer fawn sounds the alarm as it is taken by an opportunistic coyote While deer are known to leave their fawns behind during the day while they go out foraging, a fawn getting caught alone at nighttime signals something else. In most cases, nighttime predation by a coyote is the result of accidental discovery. Coyotes are highly active at night, patrolling their territories and hunting smaller prey like rabbits or rodents. If a fawn is poorly concealed, moves, or makes a sound, a coyote’s sharp senses will quickly detect it. This scenario often indicates the doe was temporarily distracted or driven away—possibly by another predator, human activity, or other environmental factors—leaving the fawn vulnerable. Unlike daytime, when the mother intentionally distances herself to avoid drawing attention, nighttime separation suggests an unusual gap in the fawn’s protection. Opportunistic predators like coyotes will exploit such moments, turning a chance encounter into an easy meal. 📽 by @bittle21 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

To call this roadrunner chick ambitious would be the understatement of the year. Caught on video attempting to swallow an entire western coachwhip snake, the young bird appears to be in serious trouble. While its parent likely provided the snake with full confidence in the chick’s ability to handle it, the scene quickly turns alarming. The chick visibly struggles, thrashing and choking as it attempts to work the oversized meal into its severely undersized stomach. Roadrunners are known for their bold feeding habits, often tackling prey larger than expected, but this clip highlights the potential dangers of trying to feed a humongous meal to this fledgling hunter. Young birds are still developing the skills needed to handle challenging prey, and a misjudgment in size or technique can easily turn life-threatening. Roadrunner parents don’t typically break their prey into smaller pieces before feeding it to their young. Instead, they deliver meals whole, pushing their chicks to learn how to swallow and handle prey as they would in the wild. While this approach is essential for building survival skills, it also comes with risks—sometimes, the parent’s confidence in the chick’s ability is a little too optimistic. 📽 by @jackelopejake - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

Did you know that chickens will eat anything they can easily catch? Because they will. Chickens may seem like harmless grain-peckers, but they’re opportunistic omnivores with a taste for protein. Bugs, worms, and even small animals like birds and mice are fair game if they can catch them. If you didn’t already know, now you do: chickens are way more savage than they look. Most of us think of chickens as simple grain-eaters because that’s how they’re typically fed on farms and in backyards. Their foraging for seeds and feed gives them a reputation as grainivores, but in reality, they’ll gladly add meat to their diet when the opportunity arises. Modern day domestic chickens trace their lineage back to the Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus), wild birds still found in the forests of Southeast Asia. These junglefowl are considered the primary ancestors of modern chickens, and they forage much like their domesticated descendants—eating seeds, insects, and even small animals. There are also feral chickens in places like Hawaii and the Caribbean, where domesticated birds have escaped captivity and adapted to life in the wild. Whether wild, feral, or domestic, chickens are far tougher and more resourceful than they’re often given credit for. 📽 by @goodmarko - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

Boaters get caught in the middle of a seal’s struggle to live and a shark’s attempt at feeding itself. In an act of desperation, the seal stays close to the boat, knowing that the mako will think twice about making a move in the presence of the boaters. Under better circumstances, this seal would have the option to use its speed and agility to evade the shark, however the speedy mako quite literally nipped that option in the bud when it removed the majority of the seal's evasive weapons. We all know how this eventually ends, and it may be difficult for some to watch, but this is just how it goes sometimes. Sharks have to eat, and what they are after need to be quicker if they don’t want to be on the menu. 📽 by @76pinkflamingos - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

Not keen on sharing, this lion moves the bulk of his kill to a new location, far from the prying eyes of these onlookers. Considering this lion just bullied another off of this kill, it makes sense that he would want to move it. Changing locations serves to minimize the chances of retaliation or interference from the other lion, and allows him to enjoy his ill gotten gains in peace. All is not lost for the rightful owner either - the bandit lion moved the bulk of the kill, but if you wait until the end of the video, you'll see that there was a significant piece left behind. Call it a consolation prize. 📽 by @safariandseaza - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day

Nothing to see here... Just a green anaconda strangling the life out of a caiman Keep scrolling... By the power of constriction, the anaconda prevents the caiman from expanding its lungs by tightening ever so slightly every time the hapless reptile breathes out. As you can probably guess, after the anaconda first coils and executes its initial squeeze, the caiman only has so much room to breathe as it is. Each breath after that is smaller and smaller, as the anaconda squeezes tighter and tighter, until the oxygen level in the caimans blood drops so low that it is rendered unconscious. Death is soon to follow, as the anaconda knows to hold this grip for an extended period after the caiman stops moving. Once its prey has sufficiently shuffled off, the anaconda will then swallow it whole. 📽 by @rafamatutao - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nature is Metal is powered by user submitted content. Did you record a wild video that you want me to share? natureismetal.com/submissions is the best place to send it. I check the submission page every day