“The Art of Ambush: South Africa’s Massive Python Takes to the Trees for Prey”

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The South African python is the largest python species in South Africa, males weigh about 44 kg, 4.25 m long, while females can weigh up to 55 kg and 5 m long. This python species appears in many folk tales of the Aborigines of Africa.

People hunt them to make bags, shoes, belts… because the pattern on the python’s body is very beautiful. The food of this python species is small prey such as mice, birds, lizards, monkeys… but large individuals can eat crocodiles.

In Kruger National Park, South Africa, a South African python (scientific name: Python natalensis) climbed a tall tree to hunt a prey that is not easy to catch. It is an African hornbill (scientific name: Bucerotidae).

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The python wrapped itself tightly around its victim and tried to swallow its prey on a high branch. As a result, after a long time trying to swallow the hornbill, the python succeeded and leisurely crawled down from this tall tree.

After only a short time, the python swallowed the prey whole and climbed down to the ground to rest.

 

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