Weasel Rides Woodpecker: Weasel Attack Photo Goes Viral, Gets 7,000 Retweets In One Day [PHOTO]

Weasel Rides Woodpecker - An amateur photographer from Essex, Martin Le-May, was able to capture the extraordinary moment of a weasel riding the back of a green woodpecker as the bird glides through the air. Now, the photo has become viral, getting over 7,000 retweets after just one day.

Le-May reportedly sent the photo to wildlife photographer Jason Ward, who tweeted it yesterday. By Tuesday morning, the weasel rides woodpecker photo got the 7,000 retweets.

The weasel rides woodpecker photograph was captured at Hornchurch Country Park, East London in the United Kingdom Monday afternoon, according to the BBC.

The snapshot may appear as if the furry creature is just hitching a ride, but in fact, the weasel is attempting to kill the bird.

"This is a truly extraordinary image," said wildlife expert Lucy Cooke. "The green woodpecker is a ground-feeding bird, but weasels normally attack rabbits.

"The woodpecker is not its usual prey. But weasels are fearless," she added of the weasel rides woodpecker photograph. "A female weasel weighs less than a Mars Bar but is as ferocious as a lion, so this is why the woodpecker would have been able to take off with it on its back."

Le-May spoke with BBC News and said that he had managed to capture the moment the weasel rides woodpecker while he was walking with his wife Ann.

"I heard a distressed squawking noise and feared the worst," said Le-May. "I soon realised it was a woodpecker with some kind of small mammal on its back.

"I think we may have distracted the weasel as when the woodpecker landed it managed to escape and the weasel ran into the grass," he added.

Le-May also said that he was taken aback by the public's social media reaction towards the photo of the moment the weasel rides woodpecker.

"I'm so proud so many people are getting to see my image. I'm totally taken aback by the response to it," he said.

He added that he hopes the picture would inspire others to venture out and snap more pictures.

Fortunately, even after the weasel rides woodpecker, the bird has managed to escape alive, according to itv News.

The weasel rides woodpecker picture has now achieved meme status on Twitter. Various manipulations have been done of the photo, which is filed under the hashtag #WeaselPecker.