Georgia is filled with creepy crawlies and venomous reptiles that are worth staying away from, but a kingsnake showed locals precisely why it is more friend than foe this month. A Georgia man caught the snake devouring a larger, venomous timber rattlesnake. Now the video is going viral.
Tom Slagle, of Haddock, initially posted the video, according to the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division. The division has since re-posted the video to Facebook, where the footage has garnered a whopping 277,000 views at the time of this writing.
“It’s a snake eat snake world out there,” Georgia Wildlife Resources said on social media.
Non-venomous constrictors, kingsnakes usually eat rabbits, rodents, lizards, turtle eggs, amphibians and other snakes, a Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) representative told Newsweek.
“These constrictors are renowned for their ability to overcome and eat venomous snakes, such as the timber rattlesnake you see being consumed in the video,” the spokesperson said.
In the social media post featuring the viral video, the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division of the DNR added vivid details on the process.
“Found throughout Georgia, Kingsnakes are renowned for their ability to overcome and eat venomous snakes,” the social media post said. “They will strike and grasp prey near the head, coil around it and constrict before swallowing headfirst. If the snake being eaten is longer than the kingsnake, it will get FOLDED before being swallowed. The more ya know.”
If you are not sure if you have stumbled upon a venomous foe or a friendly ally during your latest outdoors adventure, Georgia’s wildlife experts said identifying kingsnakes can be simple.
“Most of the time, you can easily identify this species by the chainlink fence-like pattern on its back,” the social media post said. “This dorsal pattern is usually white or yellow in color.”
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