THIS is the stomach-churning moment a greedy heron was caught on camera swallowing a giant rat WHOLE.
Civil servant Paul Travers, 56, was on his daily afternoon stroll when he spotted the bird staring at the grass.
Paul later returned to find the heron picking up the rodent and quickly whipped out his camera to take photos.
The amazing images show the little furry rat trying to escape the clutches of the long-legged bird's the beak.
Paul spotted the scene unfold at Forest Farm Country Park in Whitchurch, Cardiff.
He said: "I try to walk five or six miles every day and I always grab my camera.
"There's a small pond down by the farm and it was a lovely day. The heron was stood by the bushes and staring into the grass.
"It didn't seem to notice me at all. I carried on my walk and when I came back it had picked up the rat and started eating it."
The action unfolded just yards from a spot known as Cardiff's Northern Meadows that is set to be the site of a controversial new cancer hospital.
The Welsh Labour Government gave the go-ahead for the Velindre Cancer Centre to be built despite concerns from several health workers that the site is not suitable.
Other opponents set up the Save the Northern Meadows action group in a bid to save the land for wildlife.
Paul said: "Seeing the rich wildlife in the area just shows the importance for keeping meadows.
"Where the herons are nesting is on the northern edge of that area.
"Having green spaces has also been really important in lockdown so people can take vital walks."
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