Giant monitor lizard seems to lose a life-or-death struggle with a python as it tries to swallow the snake in one.
The extraordinary footage, recorded in Singapore, on 3rd May shows the lizard hungrily gobbling down the massive snake.
But after it gets halfway, the seemingly defeated lizard gives up and begins to regurgitate the python.
As it brings it up, the monitor grabs at the snake with its powerful claws and finally pulls it from its mouth.
But, says Emma Robertson Chia, who filmed the clip obtained by Newsflash, there was more to the scene than met the eye.
She explained: “The python was covered in flies and quite smelly, so I don’t know if the monitor had caught and wrestled it or whether it found it already dead.
“My first reaction was wow this is such a National Geographic moment! I don’t think this happens too often…! Or at least it is not witnessed very often.
“It was amazing to see it try to chomp the whole snake, which was quite a bit longer than the monitor!”
But she was baffled at why the monitor lizard’s powerful jaws were unable to make mincemeat of the python.
Emma said: “I’ve seen monitor lizards chomp through fish flesh and bones with no problem, but it seemed impossible for it to penetrate the snake’s skin.
“What I’ve since learned is that they do this (regurgitating) to speed up the decomposition of the snake to make it easier to eat.
“Sure enough, it dragged the snake up into the plants and left it.
“I went to take a look the following morning and saw that it had finally managed to break the skin and was feeding on it.
“Another monitor was close by obviously hoping for a turn. It was finally all gone on Sunday evening.
“Singapore is quite unique in that it’s possible to spot amazing wildlife right on our doorsteps or just a few minutes away in nature reserves around our centrally placed reservoirs.
“We have saltwater crocodiles, wild boar, different species of monkeys, 12 species of venomous snakes, pangolins, mouse deer, otters (as featured on the BBC recently), hornbills …a whole myriad of life!
“There are not too many major cities in the world that can boast the same thing!”
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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