After a battle lasting over an hour, the monitor lizard was swallowed whole by the Western yellow-bellied sand snake.
This dramatic encounter was captured by Kristy DeLange at the Mala Mala Nature Reserve.
After more than an hour, the snake strangled its opponent and then ate it.
“I was sitting on the porch reading when I suddenly heard a noise. When I looked outside, I discovered a Western yellow-bellied sand snake and an adult monitor lizard fighting,” DeLange recounted.
Initially, DeLange was quite confused, unsure of which was the predator and which was the prey. Both the snake and the lizard were gripping each other tightly, and the advantage shifted back and forth. The battle lasted more than an hour. Eventually, the snake strangled its opponent and devoured it.
“We were all astonished to see the snake swallow the entire monitor lizard. It was a rare and unique sight,” DeLange added.
The Western yellow-bellied sand snake is primarily distributed in southern Africa. This species has mild venom and is generally not harmful to humans.
