Scientists found an alligator in the belly of a Burmese python in Florida when they cut the creature open to reveal its large meal.
After catching the snake, workers in Everglades National Park euthanized it, according to geoscientist Rosie Moore, USA Today reported Friday.
The scientists made the discovery while performing a necropsy at a lab. A video clip recorded by Moore showed scientists slicing the creature open to see — and remove — the contents of its stomach.
“The Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) is one of the largest snakes in the world (up to 20+ft). This particular Python was roughly 18 ft, and had consumed a 5ft alligator. *Burmese pythons are required to be euthanized in Florida,” Moore wrote in the caption.
In the video, scientists felt all over the snake before opening it, revealing the alligator trapped inside its stomach before sliding it out:
According to Moore, the alligator was fully intact with only slight decay on its outer dermal layer. However, the room was filled with an odor which she described as “horrendous.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) website describes Burmese pythons as nonvenomous constrictors that are an invasive species in Florida.
“Burmese pythons are found primarily in and around the Everglades ecosystem in south Florida where the snake represents a threat to native wildlife. The FWC works with partners to manage Burmese pythons in a variety of ways,” the agency said.
Last month, a young man named Matthew Concepcion caught 28 Burmese pythons and took home a prize of $10,000 during an annual competition in Florida that highlights the invasive species and the threats they pose, Breitbart News reported at the time.
Meanwhile, social media users commented on Moore’s video, one person writing, “It would have been crazy if the alligator was still alive,” while another jokingly said, “Belt and Bag, 2-For-1.”
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