MIAMI (WSVN) - Zoologists made a shocking discovery when they noticed a python’s tracker was found inside of a Florida cottonmouth snake.
The Miami Zoo posted a photo of the curious X-ray on its Twitter account.
The slithery discovery was also posted on their Facebook page.
“You may have heard in the news about the bobcat that was documented stealing and consuming eggs from an invasive Burmese python in the Everglades. But, that isn’t the only native species that is fighting back!” the post continued. “A python that had its tracking transmitter implanted by surgeons at Zoo Miami was recently found to be consumed by another snake; a native cottonmouth, also known as a water moccasin. You can see the spine and the transmitter of the python inside the cottonmouth on this X-ray, or radiograph, that was taken at Zoo Miami’s animal hospital.”
Zoo officials said they were unable to find the snake when they tracked it. Instead, they found a slightly larger native cottonmouth snake with the tracker device.
The X-ray image showed a 43-inch cottonmouth that ate a 39-inch Burmese python in the Florida Everglades.
According to researchers, the cottonmouth was able to pass the transmitter. It was recovered a week later.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.