Remarkable pictures have captured an extremely rare battle between a caiman and an anaconda in Brazil.
The snake wrapped itself around the caiman in what turned out to be a dramatic 40-minute fight for survival on the banks of the Cuiabá River. The caiman desperately attempted to free itself as the anaconda constricted itself more and more, with the giant reptile sinking its teeth into the snake. But the brutal fight eventually ended in a draw after the caiman fought off its attacker.
Wildlife photographer Kim Sullivan, from Indiana, said: ‘The caiman went under [the water]. I could see the tip of the anaconda’s nose struggling to get air. The caiman came up still constricted by the snake and then went down again for a long time. This time it came back up free, and we did not see the snake. The caiman calmly came back to the bank, and we kept our eyes on the river until we finally saw the anaconda come up on the riverbank and slither back into its hole.