A Strange Battle Between a 1.8-Meter Alligator and a 3.9-Meter Python Ends in Death for Both Predators
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| Both giant predators died in the clash. |
The remains of both gigantic reptiles were recently discovered in Everglades National Park, Florida.
According to those who found them, this discovery indicates that Burmese pythons (native to Myanmar) are challenging the dominant position of American alligators in the swamp food chain. The body of the large snake, along with the tail of its victim protruding from the middle of its body, was found last week, although the snake’s head was missing.
“Encounters like this are rarely seen in the wild… and here we have witnessed one,” commented Frank Mazzotti, a professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Florida. “They may have been similar in size. If the python managed to constrict the alligator before the alligator could bite it, the python would have won.”
Mazzotti also noted that the alligator may have punctured the snake’s stomach, causing it to explode. “Clearly, if a snake can kill an alligator, it can also take down other species,” he said.
There have been four known encounters between these two species in the past. In other cases, alligators have either won or ended up in a stalemate.
Burmese pythons, many of which have been released by their owners, have been present in the humid swamps of Florida for over 20 years.
T. An (according to BBC)
