King cobra vs reticulated python.
Who wins, and who gets eaten?
Well, in a battle witnessed by wildlife photographer William Ko at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, it's the King Cobra.
Revealing a video of the battle to a wildlife Facebook page for the first time on Nov. 23, the hunt garnered much attention from netizens.
GIF from video by William Ko/Facebook
Speaking to Mothership, Ko described the encounter as "heart-pounding" to witness and recounted how the cobra had used its tussles to "inject venom" and immobilise the python.
Photo courtesy of William Ko
Photo courtesy of William Ko
Photo courtesy of William Ko
He reckons that the juvenile python was about 1.5 metres long, whilst the king cobra was more than twice its size, spanning approximately 3.5 metres.
Photo courtesy of William Ko
"The python [fought] back by constricting the cobra," said Ko, adding that it took approximately an hour for the python to be "completely devoured" by the king cobra.
A dream encounter for wildlife enthusiasts, Ko described the hunt as a "poignant reminder of nature's balance and beauty".
"[It'll be] forever etched in my memory."
Ophiophagy: when snakes eat other snakes
Such a phenomenon is not uncommon.
In fact, it's known as ophiophagy, shared Ko.
Simply put, some snakes, like the king cobra, are known for eating other snakes.
Such a practice is a survival strategy of sorts, by reducing competition and ensuring a steady food supply, reported Times of India.
Not the first time
This is not the first time a python was devoured whole by a king cobra.
In June 2021, another nature photographer caught a similar situation where a king cobra swallowed a reticulated python at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
While reticulated pythons are one of the more common snakes people in Singapore can spot, king cobras, on the other hand, are more uncommon.
The king cobra is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN.
While cobras use their venom to immobilise prey, reticulated pythons, on the other hand, are non-venomous constrictors and kill their prey by constricting it to death.
More snake-related stories
Top image courtesy of William Ko
