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A viral snapshot, most likely from Southeast Asia, depicts a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A de.adly battle between two scaly titans recently ended in a draw, leaving behind a twisted, gory scene.
“It’s insane, yet it’s something I could see happening… “It’s a hazardous world out there, eating other huge snakes and things that may k.i.ll you,” says Coleman Sheehy of the Florida Museum of Natural History, who believes the de.ad.ly battle took place somewhere in Southeast Asia, where the two snake species overlap.
Both snakes are exceptional among their slithering brethren, and as these things often occur, a photo of the carcasses was uploaded on Facebook.
It rapidly drew the attention of herpetologists and others who were fascinated by the strange sight (we’re all aware of the ouroboros, a symbol representing a serpent devouring its own tail, but who has ever seen a de.ad python balled up around a de.ad cobra?). “It seems authentic, not manipulated,” says Frank Burbrink of the American Museum of Natural History. “This is a strange experience, but much of what happens with snakes is never easily seen.” This is true even when two huge snake species are involved.
King cobras are the world’s longest venomous snakes, reaching lengths of up to 18 feet. And, as the name of their genus Ophiophagus implies, king cobras devour other snakes. When these cobras strike, they aim for the base of their prey’s skulls and ki.ll by injecting a poisonous mixture that swiftly paralyzes neurological systems and paralyzes their prey. “They can at.tack pretty much any snake they come across,” Sheehy adds.
“We know cobras eat other snakes, but you never know whether people are doing silly things to set things up,” adds Burbrink. “People keep king cobras, and let’s see what happens if you throw these guys in a ditch.” There’s a berm on both sides [in the photo], and they might have gone at it, but it could also have happened in the wild. I wish I could have been there to see it.” However, regardless of the trigger, the sequence of events appears to be evident in this situation.
Given the immense size of the adult python, the king cobra attempted to bite a bit more than it could swallow, and the python, in response, did what pythons do: it wrapped itself around and strangled its assailant. Unfortunately, the python’s strength was no match for the cobra’s poison. “It would swiftly ki.ll the python,” Sheehy explains. “They might both be de.ad within 30 minutes.”