Video: World’s longest snake catches a deer and swallows it whole
Amazing video shows the moment the world's longest snake catches a deer and swallows it whole - a meal which will sustain it for an entire year.
The giant reticulated python is as wide as a human, grows up to 30ft long and is capable of catching and swallowing a crocodile whole, reports the Mirror.
Filmed in Indonesia, this snake had not eaten for almost one year so went hunting for a big kill to sustain it for another 12 months.
Under the cover of darkness, the huge predator stalked grey dear at the edge of the jungle.
Despite the deer herd's wariness, the snake uses amazing camouflage to slither close enough to get within striking distance.
It suddenly strikes and locks its powerful jaws into the deer.
The snake then wraps its deadly coils tightly around the 30kg creature, stopping blood flow to the deer's organs and suffocating it in minutes.
The deer is so large that the snake must force its windpipe out of its mouth to avoid suffocating while swallowing it which will take several hours.
Once the python finally finishes swallowing its prey, it goes into digestive overdrive.
Its heart and liver grow by almost 40% giving it the power to dissolve the animal in one week.