Maharashtra Nature Park: Rat snake devours python alive

Screen grab of the video shot by Prashant Krishna Gokarankar

Mumbai-based naturalists have documented a rare instance of ophiophagy (snake-eating behaviour) at Maharashtra Nature Park, where a rat snake was observed consuming a juvenile Indian rock python. Notably, the rat snake completely engulfed the python alive.

A manuscript detailing this natural history behaviour, titled "Oriental Rat Snake Ptyas mucosa (Linnaeus 1758) Feeding on an Indian Rock Python Python molurus (Linnaeus 1758) from Mumbai, Maharashtra, India," has been accepted for publication in the journal Hamadryad. The note's authors are Prashant Krishna Gokarankar, Shubham Murlidhar Hadkar, and Pranav Joshi. According to the research note, ophiophagy provides snakes with higher energy due to the greater mass of snake prey relative to its cross-sectional size compared to other prey. Some snake species are known to consume other long (snakes), or even longer, than themselves.

The oriental rat snake (Ptyas mucosa), a diurnal snake found across Iran, the Indian subcontinent, and parts of Southeast Asia, is a generalist predator. It preys on a wide range of animals, including frogs, rodents, birds, and other snakes. Documented prey species include the ornate flying snake (Chrysopelea ornata), checkered keelback (Fowlea piscator), spectacled cobra (Naja naja), Russell's kukri (Oligodon taeniolatus), and Indian sand snake (Psammophis condanarus). Cases of cannibalism among oriental rat snakes have also been reported. Hadkar, one of the study's authors, said the lead author, Gokarankar, recorded this particular instance of ophiophagy at Maharashtra Nature Park (MNP).

"On July 22, 2022, at around 2.48 pm, we observed an adult Ptyas mucosa attacking a juvenile/sub-adult Python molurus (much smaller in size) on the ground. As the two snakes sparred, the rat snake captured the python's mid-body in its mouth. In response, the python coiled its body around the rat snake's head and began constricting. The interaction lasted about 20 minutes. At around 3.15 pm, as soon as the python loosened its grip on the rat snake, the rat snake began swallowing the python tail-first. By 3.30 pm, the rat snake had completely engulfed the python alive. This interaction was recorded using a mobile phone, and the snakes were identified based on the characteristics outlined in Whitaker and Captain (2004)," states the note.

Interestingly, the rat snake has also been observed consuming inorganic substances such as cloth, a male contraceptive, a discarded sock, polythene, and plastic bottles. The intent behind this behaviour remains unclear. "Our observation of an adult rat snake feeding on a juvenile Indian rock python is the first documented instance of such an interaction. This finding contributes to the growing knowledge about the diet and generalist nature of the Indian rat snake," the note concludes.