Last month, kayaker Martin Muller got quite the show when he was out on his morning excursion. Kayaking around Mount Isa in Queensland, Australia, spied something that would make even to most stoic among us squeamish; a python and a crocodile locked in an epic battle.
Rather than run for the hills, Martin kept his distance and patiently captured the pair of carnivores duking it out over the next few hours.
Unlike invasive species of Burmese Pythons found in Florida, the olive python is native to Australia. The reptile, which can grow up to four meters (13 feet) long is known for consuming animals 75-100% of their body size, and clashes with 'freshies' (what the locals call the freshwater crocs) are not uncommon.
The python is notoriously strong pound for pound, and prefers to feed on large food items. The snake's lower jaw is not actually connected to its upper jaw, with allows them to separate and move independently of each other.. In a process dubbed the pterygoid walk, the snake first 'walks' over its prey, wrapping around and ensnaring it. Then the python will hang on to its victim with its jaw while slowly constricting its muscles and working its way around the meal.
Eventually the subdued animal is entirely engulfed, at which point the python rapidly changes its metabolism into 'digestion mode'. A process that involved altering the size of its internal organs such as liver, kidneys and pancreas to handle the influx of calories, while pumping strong stomach acid until the meal dissolves, bones and all.
This is not the first time these two forces of nature have been seen going at it. In 2014, an olive python was recorded on video killing and eating a freshwater croc around Moondarra Lake, which isn't far from Mt Isa. The whole process took over 5 hours..
Pretty amazing, huh?
