Video - Python Predation: Deadly Constrictor Tactics

Interesting facts about pythons.Pythons are masterful ambush predators. They can lie motionless for hours, waiting for unsuspecting prey to wander within striking distance. When the moment comes, they strike with incredible speed, using their sharp, backward-facing teeth to seize the prey. Instantly, the python wraps its muscular body around the victim, applying a deadly constriction. With each exhale of the prey, the python tightens its coils, preventing any further inhalation and causing suffocation. This can take minutes to an hour, depending on the prey's size. Afterward, the python unhinges its jaw, a unique adaptation that allows it to swallow animals much larger than its head. Flexible ligaments in its jaw enable it to stretch around the entire prey, which is then pushed down its throat by powerful muscular contractions called peristalsis. Over several days or weeks, the python's potent digestive enzymes break down the meal, sustaining the snake for a long time.