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A massive anaconda has killed a crocodile in an epic animal kingdom battle.

These pictures show how the 29ft-long snake clashed with the six-foot-long caiman crocodile in Pantanal, Brazil.

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The green anaconda fought the crocodile in the swamps of tropical wetland where both species dwell.

In the images, the anaconda wraps itself around the crocodile in an effort to suffocate it.

While the snake managed to slither away from the encounter, the crocodile is believed to have died.

Wildlife photographer Kevin Dooley, 58, who took the photos, said he has "never captured anything like this before”.

Mr Dooley, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, US, said: "I was sitting in a boat having our lunch when this happened. I couldn't believe it all.

"I heard all of this splashing, and when I looked I could see the caiman was suffering.

"The anaconda just kept strangling the caiman. It had even broken all of the caiman’s legs.

"It all happened in around eight minutes.

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"I think eventually the anaconda ran out of oxygen and had to let go of the caiman.

"And at that point, the caiman then bit into the snake.

"But the snake managed to get away and slither out. I think eventually the caiman died."

Mr Dooley added: "I felt very blessed and very lucky and somewhat sad for the caiman.

"I never thought in my life I would witness something like this."