Python Swallows Alligator
I read a rather weird news story in October of 2005. A researcher named Michael Barron was traveling through the Everglades National Park when he stumbled upon a bizarre sight.
Prior to his arrival, a 13-foot long Burmese python had apparently attacked and subdued a 6-foot long American alligator. Incredibly, the python was even able to swallow the alligator whole. It was, however, a short-lived triumph, as the snake’s abdomen burst while attempting to digest its dinner.
When Mr. Barron came upon the scene, the alligator’s hind legs and tail were sticking out from the snake’s midsection. Neither animal survived the encounter. The Sydney Morning Herald titled their article: “Lavish lunch gives python killer indigestion.”
You would think somewhere along the line, the snake might have wondered if this meal was such a good idea after all. But being a snake with minimal powers of reasoning, letting go of this lunch was apparently not a consideration.
How many of us have tried to swallow an alligator – metaphorically speaking?