Nighttime Stalker on the Move
When the sun sets, the black and white night vision of Ting Vision at Garjass reveals predators-prey interactions that are seldom seen. On this particular night, a sleek African civet crept across the frame with classic stealth.
Civets are spotted, long-bodied carnivores that are part cat and part mongoose. They often prowl after dark in search of rodents, insects, and fallen fruit.
As the civet crept forward, it used its sensitive whiskers to probe the ground ahead. Moving low and deliberate, it seemed oblivious to a nearby companion.
Watch the Sighting:
About a meter to the left, a lone lapwing strode alongside the civet. Its lanky legs kept pace as it played escort through the grass.
The Unlikely Escort Pauses
The lapwing, known for its sharp “tink-tink” alarm calls and fierce defence of territory, walked casually ahead of the civet, which hadn’t yet clocked the bird. These plovers forage both during the day and at night near water, snapping up bugs stirred by larger animals.
The issue with foraging at night is that it often puts them in risky neighbourhood watches. On this night, it had a new threat to its territory.
After pacing ahead several steps, the lapwing halted, and let the civet pull a few paces ahead. Tension built in the silence as the civet’s focus remained low.
It was locked in hunting mode, unaware of the bird lurking nearby.
Wings of Fury Strike
Then, territorial instinct kicked in, and the lapwing launched directly at the civet! Its wings flapped in a furious blur like a feathered missile.
This was a classic mobbing tactic: noisy, aggressive dives to drive off threats near nests or foraging zones, even against much larger foes. The civet was apparently expecting no such ambush and leapt sideways in fright.
The lapwing flapped triumphantly away as the now-humbled civet resumed its course.
Small Bird, Big Defence
Lapwings tend to punch far above their weight, using speed and noise to bluff bigger predators into retreat. Civets, agile as they are, lack the reflexes for aerial surprises; their low-light vision excels at stalking, not dodging dive-bombers.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
These interspecies spats reveal the bush’s hidden rules: even stealthy hunters bow to birds wired for relentless vigilance. Ting Vision’s 24/7 watch at spots like Garjass logs these blink-and-miss-it clashes, turning quiet nights into front-row seats for nature’s underdog wins.
Nocturnal encounters like this thrive in low light, when civets peak in activity and lapwings extend patrols to protect hidden nests. The civet’s spooked jump (a freeze-fight-flight reflex) burns precious energy and reminds us that small “prey” can flip scripts without claws or fangs.
Underdog Triumphs at Garjass
As the civet shook off its shock and slinked away, the lapwing resumed its sentinel duties, territory secure. For wildlife fans, it was a masterclass in mismatched matchups: size doesn’t always win when boldness enters the frame.
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