15 May 2008

Rock python killed by electric fence



These images have circulated widely on the 'net, often with misinformation. For the true story I went to Snopes, which indicated that the pictures were taken at the Silent Valley Game Ranch in South Africa. Their website provides this information:
The Rock python is Africa's largest snake. The rock python eats mammals and birds. Lays up to 100 eggs about the size of a tennis ball in antbear (Aardvark) holes, hollow tree or similar suitable place. The female coils herself around the eggs to protect them.

The snake in this picture had eaten a full grown Impala ewe and, sadly, caught itself in an electric fence. Over four metres in length, this was a large specimen.

[The second photo depicts] a view of the python's mouth. A python's bite is not venomous but would be very painful.
The original images are HERE on the ranch's webpage, including one of the impala within the python's belly. It's nice to see that they used the word "sadly" to describe the death of the snake.

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