PICTURES: Snake eats whole crocodile for lunch in Australia

Amazing images show five-hour battle between giant water python and croc. Croc loses.

If you go down to the lake today…

Picnickers and bathers at Lake Moondarra in Queensland, Australia, got a big surprise yesterday after witnessing an epic battle between two of nature's apex predators - a three-metre water python and a young crocodile.

The crocodile lost, and was consumed by the python after an epic five-hour battle.

Luckily, there were lots of people on hand to take photos with their smartphones.

(Picture: Marvin Muller via ABC North West Queensland)

‘‘[The crocodile] was fighting at the start, so it was trying to keep its head out of water and survive,’’ witness Tiffany Corliss was quoted as saying.

(Picture: Tiffany Corliss via ABC North West Queensland)

‘‘But as the morning sort of progressed, you could tell that both of them were getting a little weaker," Ms Corliss told ABC North West Queensland Radio.

(Picture: Tiffany Corliss via ABC North West Queensland)

‘‘Finally, the croc sort of gave in and the snake had uncoiled for a little while and had a brief break and then actually started to consume the crocodile.’’

(Picture: Marvin Muller via ABC North West Queensland)

Witness Alyce Rosenthal, who said the battle lasted about five hours, describes what happened:

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