Posted on 10/05/2005 2:00:49 PM PDT by george76
Scientists in Florida are puzzling over a 13-foot Burmese python that scarfed down a 6-foot alligator before its stomach ruptured.
The snake apparently tried to swallow the gator whole -- and then exploded. Scientists stumbled upon the gory remains last week.
The species have battled with increasing frequency -- scientists have documented four encounters in the last three years...
"Encounters like that are almost never seen in the wild. ... And here we are, it's happened for the fourth time," Mazzotti said. In the other cases, the alligator won or the battle was an apparent draw.
"They were probably evenly matched in size," Mazzotti said of the latest battle. "If the python got a good grip on the alligator before the alligator got a good grip on him, he could win."
The incident has alerted biologists to new potential dangers from Burmese pythons in the Everglades.
"Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species," ...
At least 150 have been captured in the last two years.
"People will buy these tiny little snakes and if you do everything right, they're six-feet tall in one year. They lose their appeal, or the owner becomes afraid of it. There's no zoo or attraction that will take it," so they release the snakes into the Everglades.
A reproducing snake can have as many as 100 hatchlings, which explains why the snake population has soared, Wasilewski said. The Burmese snake problem is just part of a larger issue of nonnative animal populations in South Florida, he said. So many iguanas have been discarded in the region that they are gobbling tropical flowers and causing problems for botanists, Wasilewski said.
A 10- or 20-foot python is also large enough to pose a risk to an unwary human, especially a small child...
(Excerpt) Read more at local6.com ...
Sounds like the Democrat party at primary time....;^)
Did the snake die? If it can't swallow the tail..it's dead..
What the heck is it eating? A kangaroo?
I think I'll have a cup of yogurt for dinner tonight.
nightmares for days
A 10- or 20-foot python is also large enough to pose a risk to an unwary human, especially a small child...
Small children? What about medium and large peoples?
There's an "almost" missing from that title.
That would be my conclusion.
"The snake ... exploded." "... gory remains."
Good Hunting... from Varmint Al
Why do you think people let them go? After a little while they are stuck with a snake that is a half mile long. That gets expensive to feed. My cousin had that happen to him. Just think how many hat bands you can get out of a snake that size!
;)
It really ate the whole Kangaroo? What kind of snake was that?
((((shudder)))).I hate snakes....they remind me of democrats
Two 'big' reasons to avoid swimming in S. Florida! I wouldn't want to meet up with either of them.
A hungry snake.
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