A video showing a python being grilled and squirming on a grill — even broken into several pieces — has garnered attention on social media.
Biologist and snake specialist Henrique Abrahão shared the image, explaining that it was because the flesh was “drying out” and still had “energy in the cells.”
“Of course it twitches. This happens not only with snakes, but also with fish and other meat. Some cells are still functional. It depends on how long the meat has been fresh,” he explains.
According to the biologist, however, some parts of the snake may be delicate. “She’ll end up squirming somehow. She’s either writhing from dehydration or she’s too cool. If it’s too fresh, there will be parts that might even be delicate.”
For those who are impressed by the grilled delicacy, the biologist also enlightens. According to him, there are “various peoples that feed on snakes,” including the python.
“And in the United States, it’s legal for consumption because it’s there [a cobra píton] became a plague,” he says.
The biologist also explained that eating this species of snake helps remove from the environment the animals that were introduced to the region and became a nuisance. According to Henrique, as a predator that “devours everything” where they are present, “95% of wild animals cease to exist”.