http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4313978.stm


Snake bursts after gobbling gator

Both giant predators died in the clash

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An unusual clash between a 6-foot (1.8m) alligator and a 13-foot (3.9m) python has left two of the deadliest predators dead in Florida's swamps.

The Burmese python tried to swallow its fearsome rival whole but then exploded.

The remains of the two giant reptiles were found by astonished rangers in the Everglades National Park.

The rangers say the find suggests that non-native Burmese pythons might even challenge alligators' leading position in the food chain in the swamps.


Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species- Prof Frank Mazzotti

The python's remains with the victim's tail protruding from its burst midsection were found last week. The head of the python was missing.

"Encounters like that are almost never seen in the wild... And here we are," Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida wildlife professor, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

"They were probably evenly matched in size. If the python got a good grip on the alligator before the alligator got a good grip on him, he could win," Professor Mazzotti said.

He said the alligator may have clawed at the python's stomach, leading it to burst.

"Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species," Prof Mazzotti said.

He said that there had been four known encounters between the two species in the past. In the other cases, the alligator won or the battle was an apparent draw.

Burmese pythons - many of whom have been dumped by their owners - have thrived in the wet and hot climate of Florida's swamps over the past 20 years.

Wow!! That is just strange. Did one suffocate inside the other?

Free ranging Pythons in the glades! oh oh.

Wonder what the population # is ?

When I lived in West Palm Beach Florida I worked at Lion Country Safari not far from Loxihatchie and we found monkeys in the wild,we were asked to hunt them for Lion Country to keep lawsuits from getting them.My mother still has a news paper clipping of a Piranna being caught with a fishing pole in Palm Beach Canal along state road 80 in the early 60's.I bet there are alot of unnatural annimals and reptiles there.Drop-Shot

Hey thats cool, sweet justice for the gator, or maybe not.
Seen photos of a python with an oil rig worker in its belly, that was about 3 year ago on the internet.
Seen another similar case, on display in a museum where a goanna bit off more than it could chew by biting into an echidna. The goanna got the head in after that it was too late the spines / quils of the echidna stuck in the sides of the goannas mouth and throat. They got stuck together and died, but the sun baked them dry and preserved them in that state and some one found them stuck together.

The only problem I have with that picture, if the gator was supposed to be alive while swallowed is that the snake will wrap it up and squeeze the life out of it for many minutes before swallowing. The snake will not take a chance on live prey fighting back and possibly injuring it. Of course, the gator may have been dead and got a "lucky" scratch with its claws as the snake swallowed it. John