When This Python Tried to Eat an Antelope, Things Took a ‘Sharp’ Turn

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Quick Take

• African rock pythons are powerful constrictors capable of swallowing prey much wider than their heads.

• Horned antelope like duikers can pose unexpected challenges during the swallowing process.

• Snakes can abandon or regurgitate prey if feeding becomes dangerous or physically difficult.

Wild predators must regularly hunt or forage to survive. While many animals graze or scavenge, large constrictor snakes rely on overpowering and swallowing prey whole. But even experienced predators can miscalculate.

Visitors to Kruger National Park in South Africa captured this video of a large python wrapped around a duiker, which is a small African antelope. In Kruger, the only native large python species is the African rock python, one of Africa’s largest snakes.

African rock pythons are powerful constrictors. After striking and seizing prey with their backward-curved teeth, they coil around the animal and tighten their grip. Contrary to popular myth, constriction does not “crush” prey but instead restricts blood flow and breathing, leading to rapid unconsciousness.

Once prey has been subdued, the snake begins the slow process of swallowing it whole. Snakes have highly flexible skulls and loosely connected lower jaws, allowing them to consume animals much wider than their heads. Elastic ligaments stretch as the snake alternates movements of each side of the jaw to gradually “walk” the prey inward.

When Horns Become a Hazard

Duikers, though small, possess short, sharp horns that can complicate swallowing. Most duiker species have straight, backward-pointing horns ranging from a few inches to about 4-7 inches long, depending on the species.

In some cases, horned prey can become lodged in a snake’s mouth or throat during ingestion. If the prey cannot be safely swallowed, snakes are capable of regurgitating their meal. Regurgitation is energetically costly and stressful for the animal, but it can prevent serious injury.

There is no verified scientific evidence that duiker horns routinely pierce “through” a python’s skull during feeding. However, internal injuries or swallowing difficulties are possible if horns become improperly positioned.

Can Pythons Really Eat Antelope?

Yes. African rock pythons are known to prey on mammals ranging from rodents and birds to monkeys, small antelope, and even young warthogs. Documented cases confirm that they are capable of consuming duikers under the right circumstances.

Snakes do not open their mouth in a hinged fashion. Instead, their skull bones are mobile and connected by flexible ligaments, allowing extraordinary expansion. This anatomical adaptation enables them to swallow prey much larger than their head diameter.

There are more than 40 recognized species of pythons worldwide, found across Africa, Asia, and Australia. In southern Africa, the African rock python is the largest and most commonly encountered species.

Why Would a Snake Abandon Its Prey?

Predators sometimes abandon a kill if:

• The prey becomes difficult or dangerous to swallow

• Humans or other animals approach

• The energetic cost outweighs the benefit

Abandoning prey is not unheard of in large snakes, particularly if swallowing proves problematic.

In the Kruger footage, the python eventually disengages from the antelope and moves away. Without veterinary examination or follow-up observation, it is impossible to determine whether the snake suffered lasting injury.

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The post When This Python Tried to Eat an Antelope, Things Took a ‘Sharp’ Turn appeared first on A-Z Animals.