In a remarkable turn of events, a Burmese python was observed attacking and swallowing a reticulated python, both of which are among the world’s largest snake species. This extraordinary encounter, witnessed by researchers in India in 2020, could be the first documented instance of these two giants preying upon each other.
The event unfolded on the Akiz Wildlife Farm in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Division, a region where the ranges of Burmese and reticulated pythons converge. The images captured the Burmese python (Python bivittatus), measuring around 10 feet long, coiling around the tail of the slightly larger reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus). The reticulated python fought back by constricting the Burmese python, but its efforts were ultimately futile. The Burmese python eventually overpowered its opponent and swallowed it whole, beginning from the tail and consuming it over two hours.
The two snake species share similar prey, including mammals, birds, and lizards. However, the exact reasons behind this unusual predation remain unclear. Scientists speculate that it could have been a territorial dispute, with one snake choosing to consume the other as a way to end the fight. The researchers also point out that an abundance of chickens at the farm offered a more suitable meal, suggesting that the reticulated python might have been an opportunistic target.
The researchers, led by Ashikur Rahman Shome, a wildlife ecologist at Dhaka University in Bangladesh, published their findings in the journal Reptiles and Amphibians. This observation is significant as it sheds light on the complex dynamics and potential interactions between these two giant snake species, highlighting the diverse and often unexpected behaviors in the natural world.
