Kingsnake battles a Rattlesnake

Photo from Reddit

We might be a little biased here but, we kinda think kingsnakes rule a little bit. Recently a reddit poster shared something some of us herpers would not be overly surprised to hear about but we may never have seen in person. A California kingsnake decided to prey on a Southern Pacific rattlesnake that was about the same size it was. I mean we ALL know Cali kings are garbage cans, I love when they hit my rescue. They are the last fed because they eat EVERYTHING.

Rattlesnakes tend to inspire fear, especially for people living near open space, foothills, or brushy neighborhoods. Seeing a nonvenomous kingsnake preying on one can serve as a powerful reminder that native ecosystems often regulate themselves in ways many people never see.

Photos like this can also push back against the idea that every snake near a home or trail is simply a threat.

Now I originally saw this in a yahoo article here but you can also scoot over to the original Reddit thread here for some amusing comments.