knowledge at work 5

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

 

The words ‘snake’ and ‘alligator’ bring a sense of fear into the minds of many people. These two reptiles are one of the most successful predators of our time and before. People fear these two reptiles because of their diet, which consists of animals ranging from rats to crocodiles to bulls. Each of these predators has different styles of hunting down their prey. Even though snakes and alligators are carnivores, those who fear them misunderstand them. Attacks on humans caused by snakes and alligators are usually because of provocation or invasion of their territories. In response to human interaction with them, these reptiles launch an attack on humans to show that they are angry or feel threatened. These attacks result in injuries or death.

However when one thinks of a snake and an alligator, the last thing on his mind is a match between them. In Florida’s swamps however, a match had occurred between them. A 13-foot python and a 6-foot alligator went head to head in a match. In the end both the predators had died. When rangers saw the animals bodies, they were shocked to see that the python’s body had an alligators tail sticking out of it and the python it self did not have a head.

This is a rare occurrence. The battle between them must have been intense. They are one of the deadliest creatures in the world and are equally matched. Pythons kill by coiling around its prey and constricting it with its powerful muscles until the prey’s lungs are too compressed to get in air.. The python’s method of killing its prey is a very effective way and has no weak points. Once the python traps the prey the only thing it can do is wait until it has breathed it last breath. Alligators kill their prey by dragging them under water and drowning them. This too is an effective way, as land animal will inevitably die in the water, where the alligator is in its prime.

On seeing the site of the picture of the two animals, I think that the python thought he had killed the alligator and was devouring it but the alligator must have still been alive even when but was n the pythons stomach and it started moving which made the pythons body burst open. Earlier in the past these two predators have fought usually resulting in the death of the python or a draw between the two.

This is very important footage as it shows us the extent an animal can go to protect it self or defend is territory. The alligator was a cunning opponent for the python as it waited for the python to devour it whole. However it too died in the end. Animals can show intelligent behavior and do not always rely on their instincts for their survival. The encounter between these 2 predators has made me conclude this.