A GRUESOME video showing a giant snake devouring a helpless kangaroo at
a far north Queensland caravan park has made world headlines.
Newspapers and television stations around the globe have carried reports
on the footage captured by an astonished grey nomad at a family holiday
park in Cooktown.
Within days of being posted on YouTube last month, the 2min 19sec video
had been viewed by thousands of people.
The five-metre amethystine python, Australia's largest species of snake,
is first seen with most of the kangaroo hanging from its mouth.
But its body grows noticeably thicker as the marsupial is swallowed whole.
Caravanning News contacted all five caravan parks in the small
country town, but exactly when and where the horrific footage was shot
remains somewhat of a mystery.
'Not a very nice thing to
happen and I don't want to talk about it'
|
A spokesman at the pet-friendly Cooktown Caravan Park said he was "not
prepared to say" whether it happened at his park.
And the Cooktown Holiday, Endeavour Falls Tourist and Orchid Traveller
parks all said they knew nothing about the macabre episode.
But the owner of the Peninsula Caravan Park, who did not want to be named,
admitted there had been a similar case at her park "a long while ago".
"It happened a long time ago, maybe a couple of years ago," she said,
declining to reveal any further details.
"It's not a very nice thing to happen and I really don't want to talk
about it."
The YouTube video was filmed by caravanner Helen Smart.
During her running commentary she says: "Just found this snake at the back
of the caravan, and I'm whispering because you can see it's eating a
kangaroo.
"Oh my gawd, it's so big. It's humungous.
"Can't believe it's at the back of the caravan. Poor little kangaroo, you
can see its legs sticking out.
"The snake is constricting as it swallows the kangaroo. It is an amazing
sight."
To view the video,
click here.
