BY EARTH
TOUCH NEWS JULY 05 2019
We've seen pythons gobble down
everything from kangaroos to
possums
and even porcupines
(although that can end badly), but the latest sighting is a reptilian
showdown of epic proportions. Kayaker Martin Muller was exploring the
swamps of Mount Isa in Queensland recently when he captured this
remarkable set of images of an olive python (Liasis olivaceus) devouring
an Australian freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni). GG
Wildlife Rescue Inc uploaded the photos on their Facebook page
last month and they have since been shared over 37,000 times.
Olive pythons typically stick to
a diet of birds, bats, rats and small mammals, but it's not out of the ordinary
for a sizeable one to take on a croc (this is not
the first time that Queensland has played host to a snake-vs-croc matchup).
The snakes are among the largest species in Australia and can grow up to
four metres (13 feet) in length. Australian freshwater crocodiles,
meanwhile, usually grow to an average length of about 1.5 metres (4.9
feet) from snout to tail.
Contrary to popular belief,
snakes do not unhinge or dislocate their jaws in order to swallow large prey,
but rather their mouths are built for the job. Snakes have two separate lower
jaws that are connected via elastic ligaments. This allows them to stretch
their mouths open wider than most animals and effectively "walk"
their jaws over their prey in order to consume it. It can take some time for a
snake to swallow a large meal and even longer for it to digest one. Prey like
this hefty croc will likely take several months to be digested.
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