Some golfers in Naples, Florida got a front row seat to the wild kingdom when a Burmese python and an alligator battled it out on the 10th hole at Fiddler’s Creek Golf Course.
Both creatures appeared to be very still, but things escalated quickly. This is not what you expect to see when you go golfing, but it happened in Florida where odd things involving alligators often happen. Carolyn Maxim described it as a zoo in her Facebook post below.
https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.a.maxim/posts/10212978541397009
Like their name implies, Burmese pythons are not native to Florida. These beasts can get up to 26 feet long and weigh 200 pounds. They use their massive size to crush and then devour large mammals, reptiles, and birds.
Richard Nadler was on the 10th hole during this encounter and documented the incident. It’s comical to see people continuing to play golf right next to the alligator and the python in his Facebook post.
https://www.facebook.com/drnadler/posts/10155725214085339
The python eventually found itself in the alligator’s mouth. When it made the mistake of going close to the gator’s head, it didn’t have much of a chance. The gator then took the python into the water where it likely ate it. Video of that is below.
If there is a good guy in this situation, he won. The alligator is native to Florida while the Burmese python is not. A species introduced into another location can wreak havoc on the ecosystem, so you shouldn’t feel too bad for this deadly snake.
Pythons live in Florida because irresponsible people think that these dangerous snakes make good pets, but they often escape or become difficult to handle, and their owners release them into the wild. These pythons then multiply and become a major nuisance, disturbing an area that is not designed to handle these foreign creatures.
“Which species is ultimately the prey or predator will vary from [sic] situation depending on a variety of factors including the overall size of each animal,” Brian Norris, public information officer with the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission said. “However, we are encouraged by the prospect of a native Florida alligator consuming an invasive Burmese python.”
This python was not alone on this golf course. Just a day earlier, Carolyn Maxim posted a picture of an enormous Burmese python being captured on the 14th green. Apparently, these snakes pose a serious problem to the local community.
https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.a.maxim/posts/10212968346742149
This certainly wasn’t the average day on the golf course, and thankfully no one got hurt.
Check out this video to see just how vicious pythons are:
Share this if you are glad local authorities are capturing these deadly snakes!
Source: NY Post