These are the amazing scenes as a giant python devours an unsuspecting impala who just happened to be ambling through the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
The young buck did not stand a chance after it wandered too close to the hungry python, pictured, who was searching for a meal
The helpless mammal was oblivious to the threat in the grass when the python struck and wrapped its powerful body around it.
She had been looking to photograph some lions when she witnessed the final moments as the impala disappeared into the python
With only its hind legs still visible sticking out of the python’s mouth, the impala was swallowed in the 10 minute period that photographer Sheila Grobbelaar, 54, watched the startling encounter.
Photographer Sheila Grobbelaar, 54, was in the Kruger National Park in South Africa when she witnessed the amazing moment
At three meters long, the python made light work of the poor buck, which was seen in Kruger National Park, South Africa, although it may have bitten off more than it could chew as it wasn’t for a while afterward that it made trails.
According to Ms Grobbelaar, the python may have eaten too much as it was forced to rest while digesting its incredibly fresh voice
Sheila said: ‘At first I had been hoping to get some good shots of four lions that were in the area when another tourist told me about the python.
She added: ‘The python was massive – it was surprising just how much it could fit in its mouth. The entire impala was gone in 10 minutes’
‘The python was massive – it was surprising just how much it could fit in its mouth. The entire impala was gone in 10 minutes.
‘It was exhilarating to watch and I was grateful to see the incident happen. I love being out in the bush and it is really rewarding sσ long as you respect it.’
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Greedy Python Eats Porcupine Whole And Realizes It Was His Final Meal
Python has bitten off more than he could chew when he perished after swallowing a prickly porcupine
A mountain biker found a dead African rock python in a sanctuary, bloated from swallowing a hedgehog.
The python was discovered yesterday at the Eland Game Reserve in South Africa, about 120 km south of the city of Durban, South Africa.
In the belly of the python is a hedgehog weighing nearly 14 kg, its spikes pierce the digestive tract of the predator.
The rock python is one of the largest python species in the world. It kills its prey by crushing its victim to death. Pythons can swallow large prey such as boars or antelope.
“It fell off the ledge. We don’t know if it died before or after it fell because the fall caused the spikes to puncture the python’s digestive system,” said Jennifer Fuller, director of the sanctuary.
According to her, it is impossible to determine the exact cause of the python’s death.
Reserve general manager Jennifer Fuller said: “The exact reasons for the snake’s death are not clear.
“It is apparent that several porcupine quills were lodged inside the digestive tract.
“It had fallen off the rocky ledge.
“We don’t know if it died beforehand, or whether the fall drove some of the quills into its digestive tract.”
Whereas some predators will be warned off by the visual threat displays of a porcupine, many snake species rely on thermal or chemical sensory mechanisms to ambush prey at night.
Snake expert Johan Marais was surprised to learn that the python died from eating a porcupine.
“The pythons still eat the porcupines without any problems,” said Marais. “However, if disturbed after eating, the python’s natural response is to vomit its prey to make it light and easy to escape. In this case, the porcupine spines probably choked it. I’m sure It must have died because of that.”
