A python was impaled by the horns of a duiker which it was trying to swallow whole, in an extraordinary sighting witnessed by Christo Burnette.
A duiker’s horns usually protect it while it is still alive. However, in this rare sighting, the horns vindicated the deceased animal, cutting right through the python.
A male duiker’s horns are 10 centimetres long on average, so this was no light injury for the large python. Both horns penetrated right through, in a moment that spectators at the site will never forget.
Christo says that while he frequently visits South African game reserves, this was the first time he had ever seen something like this.
According to Christo, he had spotted a duiker lying down just outside his chalet. Wondering what was going on, he went to inspect the unusual sighting.
