Large snakes have been known to devour large meals, but perhaps this one tips the scales.
Burmese Pythons, which are an invasive species that originated from Asia, are running loose in the wild in the Florida Everglades, and
Large snakes have been known to devour large meals, but perhaps this one tips the scales.
Burmese Pythons, which are an invasive species that originated from Asia, are running loose in the wild in the Florida Everglades, and scientists just happened to trap and euthanize a very unique specimen that was approximately 14.2 feet long and weighed a hefty 106 pounds.
Image Credit: S. M. Boback et al., 2016
After the necropsy was completed, the scientists discovered that the massive snake devoured three white-tailed deer, a possible record-breaker for the region. One was an adult, while the other two were fawns. It's believed that the snake laid in wait in a nearby water patch and struck the deer by surprised.
As much as 14 pounds of fecal matter, measuring 31.1 inches in length, was discovered inside of the snake, which compared to only about 13% of the snake’s body mass. Inside the fecal matter, scientists uncovered a ton of undigested bits, including bones, hooves, teeth, and even hairballs of fur.
According to a journal entry in BioInvasions Records, the snake most likely ate the deer in rapid succession within just 87 days of time. This is an unusually short amount of