Astonishing pictures reveal how a mother possum saved her baby from certain death as a snake tried to strangle it to death.

The mother’s protective instinct kicked in when her baby was in life-threatening danger in Queensland.

Incredible photos have captured the moment the marsupial fought off a hungry carpet python that had snatched her baby in a Sunshine Coast backyard.

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Photos show the little possum strangled around the snake before Mum steps in to fight the reptile and save her baby’s life.

Realising it will come off second best, it’s not long before the snake gives up and releases the baby, which escapes unscathed.

‘The carpet python snatched the baby possum off the mum’s back and then as every mum would, she attacked the snake to get her baby back,’ The Snake Catcher 24/7 – Sunshine Coast posted on Facebook on Thursday.

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‘The snake ended up letting go and baby possum was fine. Mr Python had a few bite marks for his troubles. He won’t mess with that possum again.’

The Facebook post attracted more than 2700 reactions, almost 1700 shares and hundreds of comments within hours.

The photos were taken by Christine Birch Williams, who said the python lives a happy life in her courtyard.

The photos sparked a debate on the Facebook page about whether the resident should have intervened to save the possum or let nature take its course.

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‘As hard as this would be to watch…this is all a part of nature,” snake catcher Stuart McKenzie posted in response to the comments.

‘Would I interfere and save the baby if I was there at the time? Hard to say. On one hand it would be horrible to watch, on the other hand the snake has earned his meal.’

Many people agreed.

‘Leave it be, nature is what it is. Nature doesn’t do it to be cruel and malice its the natural instinct to survive,’ one woman commented.

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