Watch the Sighting:
A Chaotic Opening
Private guide Brendon Dredge was taking his guests on a drive in MalaMala Game Reserve when he came across a tense wildlife encounter. His footage begins mid-action, with a python already wrapped tightly around a small impala.
The snake’s muscular coils were locked around the antelope’s torso, restricting its movement and compressing its chest with every breath. For several moments, the impala appeared overwhelmed.
It took a few desperate breaths as the python maintained its grip, and everyone assumed the poor impala’s fate was sealed. Brendon knew that this was typically the point at which a python’s hunt would come to an end.
The Python’s Strategy
Pythons are ambush predators, relying on stealth rather than speed. They often position themselves along game paths, near waterholes, or in areas where prey animals are forced to move through narrow spaces.
This python was situated under a fallen tree, which was not only a perfect hiding spot, but also assisted in entrapping the impala. Impalas are common targets, especially juveniles or weaker individuals, as they have predictable movement patterns.
Once within striking distance, the python launches a lightning-fast bite, using its backward-curving teeth to hold on while it throws its coils around the prey. This is where the viewers’ experience begins.
An Incredible Twist
African rock pythons kill their prey through constriction, tightening their coils each time the animal exhales. Contrary to popular belief, death does not usually occur through suffocation alone, but through circulatory arrest.
The pressure from the coils prevents blood from reaching vital organs, leading to rapid loss of consciousness. It was likely that the small impala in the video was moments away from passing out.
What happened next, however, was highly unusual. After a few moments of stillness, the impala suddenly began to struggle violently, summoning a burst of strength, and twisting and bucking its body repeatedly!
These powerful movements appeared to disrupt the python’s coil placement, preventing the snake from fully tightening its grip. Then, with a few final, desperate pushes, the impala miraculously wriggled free!
The Outcomes
Gasps of disbelief could be heard as the impala broke loose and bounded away to safety. Despite the ordeal, it appeared to escape with only minor injuries, an extraordinary outcome given the python’s size and grip!
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Escapes like this are rare, because once a python has successfully coiled around its prey, the odds of survival are extremely low. For the python, losing a meal of this size would be a significant setback.
Large prey items provide enough energy to sustain a python for weeks or even months. Additionally, failed hunts are energetically costly, and opportunities to ambush are not frequent.
This remarkable encounter highlights both the efficiency of python hunting strategies and the sheer determination of prey animals fighting for survival. In the wild, outcomes are never guaranteed, and even the most finely tuned predators can be outmatched by a single moment of resistance.
A miracle escape like this serves as a powerful reminder that in nature, the fight for survival can hinge on seconds, strength, and an extraordinary stroke of luck.
