Can you imagine a python swallowing a deer whole and then later regurgitating it completely intact?
As strange as it sounds, that’s exactly what happened — and a team of scientists documented the discovery.
In the U.S. state of Florida, a Burmese python was observed doing just that.
In fact, the researchers were quite amazed when they saw the python calmly regurgitate the deer it had swallowed some time earlier.
The findings were published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.
According to the study, the observation was made in November 2024.
Mark Sandfoss, a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and part of the research team, explained that pythons often do things we can hardly even imagine.
This was the first time, the study noted, that a wild Burmese python was seen regurgitating a whole deer after swallowing it.
The observation took place while scientists were studying the feeding habits of Burmese pythons.
The dramatic scene — the python regurgitating an intact deer — was even captured on camera.
Since the 1970s, the population of Burmese pythons in Florida has been on the rise.
Researchers had been investigating how these snakes were affecting local deer populations.
Their data showed a decline in deer numbers, raising concerns that pythons may be consuming prey otherwise vital for other predators.
Typically, pythons feed on smaller animals, but when the opportunity arises, they are known to swallow larger prey such as deer and even alligators.
These snakes can unhinge their jaws wide enough to engulf animals of remarkable size.
Though it is extremely rare for pythons to attack humans, occasional cases have been reported.
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