How a Snake eats a Gazelle from start to finish.

29 March 2007, 18:11

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9ae_1175155649

Hamdeni

29 March 2007, 20:43

<Hunter Formerly Known As Texas Hunter>

Absolutely Amazing. One would have to believe the horns would be a problem but they're not!

30 March 2007, 01:08

nampom

Beautifull snake, not a lot left that size anymore. Amazing footage, especially the close up shots of the snake's mouth.

30 March 2007, 04:23

Kamo Gari

Wow. Amazing stuff. Seems to me while watching the video while the snake is eating, however, and for some time after, would itself be very vulnerable to attack from any other predators...

30 March 2007, 06:53

Dago Red

Clearly during eating and for a while afterwards is the most vulnerable time for the snakes. I would think also that there are a few that make a miscalculation and can't really take such a large meal and die from the mistake. probably another factor in why we don't see many snakes that size. Scary but fascinating. I never realized that the jaw could unhinge more than from top and bottom, from the illustration during the film it looks like the sections of jaw seperate vertically as well.

Red

30 March 2007, 22:28

larryshores

Amazing.

I have witnessed a similar event although much smaller.

Several years ago, we were hog hunting. While driving through an orange grove, I happened to look out the truck window and saw about a 6 foot rattlesnake with a rabbit in its mouth. It had about 2/3's of the rabbit already inside.

Needless to say, we got out to have a look. That snake was mad as hell. Rattling like crazy.

It could not strike with the rabbit in it's mouth and could not really crawl either. We decided to end the entertaining episode by whacking it over the head with a shovel.

I would have to conclude that the snakes in the situation are VERY vulnerable.

30 March 2007, 23:39

Kamo Gari

Suspicion confirmed.

31 March 2007, 02:19

Use Enough Gun

Amazing.

31 March 2007, 05:09

RIP

Thanks for sharing.
I understood some of the German narration, like
"der peetun" (the python)
and
"flexeebeeleetee" (flexibility).

31 March 2007, 07:18

Sevens

One of my relatives used to have a pet python. I always enjoyed watching it constrict and swallow the rats we fed it.

31 March 2007, 12:12

Safari-Hunt

Quite amazing footage,
Awesome power of the snake. And very economical has he will not have to feed again for about 3 months.

31 March 2007, 18:02

stuntpilot2

quote:
he will not have to feed again for about 3 months.

Hell, I'd only eat once every three months too if meal time meant having to pass that set of horns!

16 April 2007, 22:32

James Walker

Ya I have heard of big snakes even eating a small hippo you can see the vid on youtube as well but aparentlly their is a clip on this sight of a python RUNNING down a impala please let us Know if you find it. shot

17 April 2007, 02:00

Dangerous Dave

Someone came in my office while I was watching and thought it was porn! I had to start it over to show that it wasn't

17 April 2007, 02:29

cjw

Amazing video!

I think I have posted this picture before but that video reminded me of it. It's an appx 18' croc eating an impala. The first picture has a leg, the horns and part of the head/neck still left to eat. The second picture taken the next day in the same spot has just the horns left. The ranger said it would take about 3 days to eat all of it. He also said a croc will swim around with food hanging out of it's mouth but this one hadn't moved at all.

17 April 2007, 04:17

Tex21

quote:
Originally posted by Dago Red:
Clearly during eating and for a while afterwards is the most vulnerable time for the snakes. I would think also that there are a few that make a miscalculation and can't really take such a large meal and die from the mistake. probably another factor in why we don't see many snakes that size. Scary but fascinating. I never realized that the jaw could unhinge more than from top and bottom, from the illustration during the film it looks like the sections of jaw seperate vertically as well.

Red

Yep. You're right; snakes' eyes do get bigger than they're stomachs every once in a while. Somebody told me they found a snake skeleton one time that had a turtle shell in it; I didn't believe them. Then a science teacher showed me a picture of this...then I walked up on a snake skeleton in the river bottoms one time while I was squirrel hunting and sure enough, there was a turtle skeleton inside. Surely was one of those time I wish I'd of had a camera with me...

Snakes will tackle just about anything that smells like food and doesn't look too large. I had a 4' rat snake that ate whole rats (also quite economical - $3.83/rat and maybe two/month). Its the damnedest thing watching a snake try and swallow something too big for its month. But they can...

18 April 2007, 23:26

Clayman

quote:
Originally posted by Tex21:
quote:
Originally posted by Dago Red:
Clearly during eating and for a while afterwards is the most vulnerable time for the snakes. I would think also that there are a few that make a miscalculation and can't really take such a large meal and die from the mistake. probably another factor in why we don't see many snakes that size. Scary but fascinating. I never realized that the jaw could unhinge more than from top and bottom, from the illustration during the film it looks like the sections of jaw seperate vertically as well.

Red

Yep. You're right; snakes' eyes do get bigger than they're stomachs every once in a while. Somebody told me they found a snake skeleton one time that had a turtle shell in it; I didn't believe them. Then a science teacher showed me a picture of this...then I walked up on a snake skeleton in the river bottoms one time while I was squirrel hunting and sure enough, there was a turtle skeleton inside. Surely was one of those time I wish I'd of had a camera with me...

Snakes will tackle just about anything that smells like food and doesn't look too large. I had a 4' rat snake that ate whole rats (also quite economical - $3.83/rat and maybe two/month). Its the damnedest thing watching a snake try and swallow something too big for its month. But they can...

I've heard of that too. I'll try and find it, but I once saw a photo of a snake that tried to eat something (can't remember what) that was just too big. The snake got it all down, but died when whatever the animal was split its stomach open lengthwise. I don't know why they eat so much at one time; it would seem like eating smaller and more frequent meals would allow it to be more mobile and less vulnerable.

19 April 2007, 00:38

larryshores

The picture may have been of a snake that atet an alligator in the Everglades. That picture was widely circulated.