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The dry season in the Everglades forces many semi aquatic animals, like the North American River otter, to cover large distances on land to reach the remaining feeding grounds. Only the deep channel next to the otter’s path sustains enough water and plenty of fish too. But entering these channels during the hight of the dry season is a risky business indeed and the otters are well aware of its danger. Crowds of large alligators have congregated to feed on fish and other animals in these channels now. Even smaller alligators will have to leave these dangerous waters to avoid being killed and eaten by its own species.

The otters have reached yet another shallow waterhole in the open, easy to detect large predators and with enough fish to feed upon. River otters do prey on smaller alligators occasionally, in particular during the time of food shortage. But the remaining waterholes are also visited by many other predators and those large mud tracks are a clear indication, that a huge constrictor frequented the area previously.

A few days later a giant, fourteen foot python, appeared on the site to have a long drink. Interestingly, the snake sipped the water right out of the mud bed instead of moving into the deeper part of the waterhole. Many of these swamp puddles do not attract enough prey to sustain large alligators, yet they are just perfect for the juveniles. But still, one has to keep a sharp eye on its visitors. The python has detected the alligator alright. Due to its nonchalant moving through the mud, one can easily postulate that this snake is everything except hungry.

Snake are curious creatures indeed, and so is these one. But what does a hungry python looks like? A hungry python moves fast and with purpose, targeting its prey by constantly analyzing the scent particles in the air before moving in for the kill. The ambush follows with a bite to the neck area while coiling its powerful body around, to asphyxiate the immobilized prey. The python approaches the alligator carefully, flickering its tong and maybe analyzing potential prey to be killed and eaten in the near future. But not today! The two predators tolerated each others company for some time before the python backed off.

The giant snake might have come to the water for a drink, to cool down or for a mud bath to get rid of annoying parasites. Or was it in fact investigating available food sources of its territory? We’ll never know. People ask me all the time, if I’m not afraid of getting attacked by wild animals while filming in the swamps. The answer is yes! Sometimes! But I’m more afraid of dropping my camera into the water or getting stuck in the mud. That’s all!

Python Stalks Alligator was filmed by Heiko Kiera aka Ojatro in Florida in 2014.

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