Giant Python : A photo that probably comes from Southeast Asia shows an extremely rare event. Two dangerous giant creatures fought fiercely, but neither of them won, leaving behind a disturbing and bloody scene.
A big cobra and another snake called a reticulated python were fighting. The cobra strangled the python, and the python died too. The cobra bit the python on its head, and the venom from the cobra’s hooded snake caused the python to die. In self-defense, the python squeezed the cobra until it died as well. Both snakes didn’t survive.
“It’s crazy, but it’s something that could happen. It’s a dangerous world out there, with big snakes eating each other and things that can kill you,” says Coleman Sheehy from the Florida Museum of Natural History. He believes this deadly battle occurred in Southeast Asia, where these two snake species live in the same area.
Both snakes are exceptional among their slithering brethren. As often happens, a photo of the carcasses was uploaded on Facebook.
The photo quickly caught the attention of snake experts and others who found the unusual sight fascinating (we all know about the ouroboros, a symbol depicting a snake devouring its own tail, but who has ever seen a dead python coiled around a dead cobra?). “It seems real, not manipulated,” says Frank Burbrik of the American Museum of Natural History. “This is a strange occurrence, but many snake events are not easily witnessed.” This holds true even when two enormous snake species are involved.
King cobras are the longest venomous snakes in the world, growing up to 18 feet long. They are called “king” cobras because they eat other snakes. When they attack, they aim for the base of their prey’s skull and inject a poisonous mixture that quickly paralyzes their nervous system. They can attack almost any snake they come across.
On the other hand, reticulated pythons are the longest snakes in the world, with some reaching lengths of over 30 feet. They use their muscles to strangle their prey, which is usually mammals rather than other snakes. There was a confrontation between a king cobra and a python, but it’s unclear how often these fights happen in the wild. It’s also uncertain whether this particular fight was a result of chance or intentional human intervention.
Due to the large size of the adult python, the king cobra tried to bite off more than it could swallow. In response, the python wrapped itself around the cobra and strangled it. Unfortunately, the python’s strength was no match for the cobra’s poison. Both snakes would likely be dead within 30 minutes.
