It’s a real-life Ouroboros! A Stimson’s Python at the Alice Springs Reptile Centre, in Australia, became trapped inside its own dead skin after it was shed into a perfect circle. According to a post that the Reptile Centre left on their Facebook page, the snake was stuck literally within itself for over 3 hours, until it managed to bust out through a hole in the side.
But how does something like this happen?
‘The snake has accidentally crawled back in through the open mouth of its shed skin,’ wrote one of the staff members on Facebook. ‘It’s very rare to have happened.’
The image calls to mind the ancient symbol of the Ouroboros, which depicts a snake eating its own tail and is often meant to symbolize self-reflection or rebirth. One thing is for sure, this snake definitely had a lot of time for self-reflection while it was stuck inside its own skin.
Check out the Alice Springs Reptile Centre’s YouTube channel for more snake footage!