Hair-raising video shows alligator sneaking up on a venomous cottonmouth and eating it
FLORIDA: A shocking video showed an intense fight two ferocious predators. An alligator snuck up on a water snake and swiftly grabbed it. The snaked thrashed in its jaws while the wily alligator held on. After a few moments the snake went still. Although both are lethal in their own ways, the alligator prevailed in this particular encounter and ate the snake.
The snake is reportedly a cottonmouth, occasionally referred to as water moccasins. Native to North America, cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) prefer to live in and around water. They are a type of carnivorous pit vipers that grow as long as four feet and are extremely venomous.
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Cottonmouths or water moccasins are mostly found in Florida
Cottonmouths are usually spotted in freshwater or saltwater environments since they are a semi-aquatic snake species. They tend to sunbathe around logs, rocks and branches close to water, hence, it is necessary to keep an eye out for them there. These snakes have thick bodies and crossbands of light and dark brown color with numerous dark dots and speckles. They pose a risk to both people and dogs' safety and are present in every county in Florida, as per AZ Animals.
Alligators are somewhat resistant to venomous snake bites
Alligators are lone hunters who mostly consume fish, birds and small mammals. The larger ones can even hunt deer and bears. According to Discover Magazine, alligators are somewhat resistant to snake venom. "This may allow for alligators to eat venomous pit vipers and they may not succumb to getting bit," said John Finger, a biologist at Auburn University in Alabama, who has worked with alligators for more than 13 years. Researchers also discovered that alligator blood inhibits the destructive action of snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMP), which makes up 20% of the venom in pit vipers like the cottonmouth.
