Tonight, two serpentine competitors
slither into the ring to help us find out
which snake is the scariest.
The sun is setting over
our lush ring
and there’s no sign yet
of our competitors.
But that doesn’t mean they’re
late to the party.
Both snakes
are patiently waiting in the wings.
For now.
Up first is
This reptile is
a member of the constrictor
snake family and lives
in Africa, Asia and Australia.
Pythons snake along at
1.6 km/h (1 mph) as they hunt at night.
They like to ambush
their unsuspecting prey
and put the bite on it
before constricting the animal
and crushing its body.
With its upper jaw boasting four
rows of curved teeth
and a lower jaw sporting two rows,
this is one serious bite, folks.
But will the python's sharp bite
and tight squeeze
be enough to take down our next fighter?
Cranking up the pressure is the
These semi-aquatic snakes
are some of the largest in the world,
and they live exclusively
in South America's Amazon rainforest.
Thriving on the ground
and in water,
anacondas are speedy.
These snakes can swim at up to
16 km/h (10 mph)
and move along on land
up to 8 km/h (5 mph.)
These snakes are more stocky than slinky,
using their brute strength
and size to ensnare their prey.
Both these contenders
are masters of constriction,
so this could be a close match.
Maybe too close.
Let's get to it.
These snakes may be monsters,
but the anaconda
has the heavyweight advantage
when it comes to size.
Pythons weigh in at a considerable
91 kg (200 lb),
but anacondas can reach a whopping
250 kg (550 lb.)
And though pythons have an average
length of 10 m (33 ft),
anacondas boast comparable stretch power,
measuring up to about 9m (30 ft.)
This one is close,
but the heavy-hitting
anaconda takes an early
win in this round.
Both snakes have superhero senses
and use a special feature that helps them
smell odors better.
Pythons and anacondas
have a Jacobson's organ,
a patch of sensory cells
in the nasal passage
that detects moisture-born odors.
These two tanglers can also detect heat
by using their pit organs,
a membrane that senses the radiation
from the warm bodies in the vicinity.
These snakes have
their differences though.
Pythons hear low frequencies,
while anacondas
sense vibrations
from the creatures around them.
It looks like this round is a tie folks.
The final face-off
is all about predatory prowess,
but timing is everything.
Tonight's outcome will come down
to which snake strikes first.
These sneaky snakes can camouflage
in water and ambush unlucky prey.
But the anaconda's comfort in water
paired with its
sky-facing eyes
would likely lead to an initial attack.
The heavier anaconda lunges,
grabs and constricts!
It uses its superior squeezing strength
of 620 kPa (90 PSI)
to put pressure on the python.
Does the python stand a chance
against the anaconda's crush?
It looks like its 97 kPa (14 PSI)
crushing power
is no match for its Amazon aggressor.
The python can't take the pressure.
The awesome
Want some more slithery spectacle?
Next up, the King Cobra
is taking on the king of the jungle.
The lion.
We'll see who wins
on another round of VS.