WATCH: Two Coral Snakes Tug-of-War Over Limbless Creature

Scientists recorded the first documented case of kleptoparasitism — or food theft — among snakes in the wild. 

According to a study published on Tuesday by the Austrian Herpetological Society, the scientists observed two coral snakes engaging in a tug-of-war over a limbless amphibian in a rainforest in western Colombia. 

While the video published alongside the article runs less than a minute long, scientists say they watched the battle for 17 minutes. They said the winner just moved on and the loser did not follow. 

In the study, the scientists say that such behaviors are more common in captivity, but they’re rarely observed in nature, possibly due to the elusive nature of the reptiles.

Scientists recorded the first documented case of kleptoparasitism — or food theft — among snakes in the wild. 

According to a study published on Tuesday by the Austrian Herpetological Society, the scientists observed two coral snakes engaging in a tug-of-war over a limbless amphibian in a rainforest in western Colombia. 

While the video published alongside the article runs less than a minute long, scientists say they watched the battle for 17 minutes. They said the winner just moved on and the loser did not follow. 

In the study, the scientists say that such behaviors are more common in captivity, but they’re rarely observed in nature, possibly due to the elusive nature of the reptiles.