The Boa in My Backyard | National Geographic

in bagasse is Costa Rica National

in bagasse is Costa Rica National Geographic Explorer Susan Perry captures

Geographic Explorer Susan Perry captures

Geographic Explorer Susan Perry captures a grisly scene unfolding in her backyard

a grisly scene unfolding in her backyard

a grisly scene unfolding in her backyard a 10 foot boa entangles an enormous

a 10 foot boa entangles an enormous

a 10 foot boa entangles an enormous iguana holding it in a vice-like grip

iguana holding it in a vice-like grip

iguana holding it in a vice-like grip lacking a poisonous bite constrictors

lacking a poisonous bite constrictors

lacking a poisonous bite constrictors rely on another weapon brute force

within this coiled tangle of predator

within this coiled tangle of predator and prey thousands upon thousands of

and prey thousands upon thousands of

and prey thousands upon thousands of powerful muscles flex and squeeze the

powerful muscles flex and squeeze the

powerful muscles flex and squeeze the constrictors prey the biggest

constrictors prey the biggest

constrictors prey the biggest constrictors can squeeze with a force

constrictors can squeeze with a force

constrictors can squeeze with a force equivalent to nine thousand pounds of

equivalent to nine thousand pounds of

equivalent to nine thousand pounds of pressure that’s like having a school bus

pressure that’s like having a school bus

pressure that’s like having a school bus on your chest the pressure cuts off

on your chest the pressure cuts off

on your chest the pressure cuts off blood flow to the body

blood flow to the body

blood flow to the body stopping the preys heart but can this

stopping the preys heart but can this

stopping the preys heart but can this Conqueror consume the spoils of victory

unlike nature’s other top predators

unlike nature’s other top predators snakes cannot rip and chew their meals

snakes cannot rip and chew their meals

snakes cannot rip and chew their meals they must swallow them whole as the

they must swallow them whole as the

they must swallow them whole as the serpent swings his mouth over the

serpent swings his mouth over the

serpent swings his mouth over the iguanas lifeless body he reveals another

iguanas lifeless body he reveals another

iguanas lifeless body he reveals another weapon in his arsenal the quadrate this

weapon in his arsenal the quadrate this

weapon in his arsenal the quadrate this tiny bone in the snake’s mouth allows

tiny bone in the snake’s mouth allows

tiny bone in the snake’s mouth allows the boa to open his jaw at two points if

the boa to open his jaw at two points if

the boa to open his jaw at two points if humans were built like snakes our mouths

humans were built like snakes our mouths

humans were built like snakes our mouths could open up to a 120 degree angle and

could open up to a 120 degree angle and

could open up to a 120 degree angle and it doesn’t stop there his lower jaw is

it doesn’t stop there his lower jaw is

it doesn’t stop there his lower jaw is actually two separate parts this

actually two separate parts this

actually two separate parts this ingenious adaptation means these snakes

ingenious adaptation means these snakes

ingenious adaptation means these snakes can swing their mouths wider than their

can swing their mouths wider than their

can swing their mouths wider than their skull when swallowing prey but this

skull when swallowing prey but this

skull when swallowing prey but this super-sized meal needs more than a big

super-sized meal needs more than a big

super-sized meal needs more than a big mouth and this snake has another trick

mouth and this snake has another trick

mouth and this snake has another trick up his scales

deep inside his mouth like two sets of

deep inside his mouth like two sets of razor-sharp inner teeth able to move

razor-sharp inner teeth able to move

razor-sharp inner teeth able to move independently from the rest of his mouth

independently from the rest of his mouth

independently from the rest of his mouth these inner teeth bite into the prey

these inner teeth bite into the prey

these inner teeth bite into the prey rocking the skull back and forth

in real time it takes hours for this boa

in real time it takes hours for this boa to bite and pull itself over the iguana

but this boa may have bitten off more

but this boa may have bitten off more than he could swallow the size of his

than he could swallow the size of his

than he could swallow the size of his meal stretches his scales to the limit

meal stretches his scales to the limit

meal stretches his scales to the limit ripping open is flesh near the mouth for

ripping open is flesh near the mouth for

ripping open is flesh near the mouth for explorer Susan Perry this extraordinary

explorer Susan Perry this extraordinary

explorer Susan Perry this extraordinary encounter is just another ordinary day

encounter is just another ordinary day

encounter is just another ordinary day in the field