28th December 1997

Mmm, yummy, yummy mmm...

The Aralaganwila Farm which be longs to the Mahaweli Authority is no stranger to wild beasts.

Situated in Polonnaruwa, surrounded by thick jungle, this plant nursery recently had a rather unwelcome visitor-a large python who slithered into the farm premises one day in September and claimed as prey a dog living there.

The python was first spotted locked in deep battle with a well grown dog by farm workers. The Manager, Neville Rajapakse was then informed and he was able to capture the gory details with his camera. According to Rajapakse, the snake had gripped the dog so hard that by the time they were spotted it was impossible to save the animal.

As they watched, the python squeezed the life out of the dog who could not even struggle in the snake's grip. Then sensing strange eyes on him and disturbed by the people watching, the python had slipped away to a crop field close by, leaving the dead dog behind.

Rajapakse and his co-workers had moved aside and left the body undisturbed. A few minutes lapsed before the snake came back to claim its kill. As captured on camera, the dog was swallowed head first and whole. For two days the snake lay motionless by the crop field, digesting its large meal and then crawled into the forest nearby.

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