It was a battle to the death with no winners, only mutual destruction.

When two of the world’s most dangerous reptiles, a King Cobra and a Reticulated Python, locked in a deadly embrace, both met their demise.

The python crushed the cobra, leading to the cobra poisoning the python in return.

It was a battle with no winners: The deadly serpents’ duel, believed to have been captured somewhere in South-East Asia, concluded with both reptiles meeting their demise.

A photo of this macabre embrace is now circulating widely on social media. However, the original source remains unknown, as reported by Bgr.com, and the identity of the photographer remains a mystery.

The king cobra’s primary weapon is its venomous bite, and it is notorious for its deadly toxins. After overpowering its victim, it often swallows it whole.

In the photo, the cobra can be identified by its tail stretching towards the top of the picture and having the python caught between its jaws.

On the other hand, reticulated pythons are considered the world’s longest snakes but, unlike the cobra, they are not venomous.

Reticulated pythons are known to use their powerful, muscular bodies to wrap around their prey, cutting off circulation and causing death by restricting blood flow to vital organs.

As pointed out by Bgr.com, in this case, the python has contorted the cobra’s body into a twisted pretzel.

Online reports suggest that the cobra initiated the confrontation and that, after being bitten, the python strangled its attacker. However, it’s evident that neither of the combatants survived, as the cobra bit off more than it could chew.

A spokesperson for the Florida Museum of Natural History informed National Geographic that the encounter likely occurred in South-East Asia, where these species are known to overlap.