Tropical Queensland nature at its wildest as a python grabs a cockatoo for afternoon tea


This is the amazing moment Cairns photographer Genevieve Vallee captured a stunning act of nature... a scrub python that had captured and started eating a cockatoo.

Genevieve told TropicNow: "A neighbour in Kamerunga rang the bell at 4pm this afternoon and said 'there's something you need to see - bring your camera'".

"He led me to a palm tree where high up on a branch the unfortunate cockatoo had alerted passersby to its fate with raucous screams before the snake constricted its last gasp."



Genevieve said a large flock of the cockatoo's mates were hovering around the scene.

"I could see the snake in my viewfinder and it was sizing up with open jaws to consume the bird," she said.



The python started to eat the poor bird, but didn't get far because the feathery prey was too big to digest.

Genevieve said the snake abandoned the attempted snack and slithered away up the tree.