TOP 10 Biggest Snakes in the World
One scary aspect of a predator is its gigantism. It terrorizes prey and other predators that are smaller than it.
Snakes are among the largest predators in the world. Among them, there is still a great difference in size between species, some can even swallow large beasts like a crocodile in one bite.
Additional information, other than the size of the species, will be given so take the time to read, you will be fascinated by these large beasts and you will gain knowledge about them. This article is mainly interested in a ranking of these giant snakes.
Here is the TOP 10 largest snakes in the world ranked from the tenth largest to the largest giant.
10. Papuan Python
As we can recognize by its name, this is a species in the python group. The males can reach a weight of about 23 kg for a length of over 5 m. A young one has a green-olive color that darkens more and more as it grows. It is still in the medium size snakes but it deserves its place in this ranking because it is indeed the tenth largest snake in the world.
9. Deschauense’s Anaconda
In the ninth place, a completely different species that is the Deschauense Anaconda. It is also known by the name of Dark Spotted Anaconda. This nomenclature was made because of a problem of pronunciations of its original name. It is one of the smallest anacondas while it is a small giant. Our species here described weighs in at 30 kg even if its 3 m length is not as impressive as the previous species.
It can be recognized by its spots (of the same color as the python scales) which are found on its light brown scales. They live in swamps and wetlands, but they do not hesitate to climb to high altitudes in the mountains, which is not the case with the other species.
8. Yellow anaconda
Another anaconda in the eighth place, it is the yellow anaconda. This is because this species really belongs to the giants, even though it is also among the smallest of the anacondas. According to the studies made and among the yellow anacondas, the biggest listed reach 4 meters and they weigh in the 30 kg approximately. They can be recognized by their yellowish-green skin.
In South America, more precisely in Argentina, people use yellow anacondas to get rid of their rodent problems. But unfortunately, this species is threatened because it is a target for poaching because of its skin and meat.
7. Boa Constrictor
In position number seven, we can line up the Boa Constrictor which weighs about 30 kilograms and has a length of about 4 meters. It is between a viper and an anaconda in terms of wingspan. This snake also feeds on reptiles like him but also on.
This species is generally found on the American continent. They live mainly in semi-arid areas, tropical forests, dry or wet savannahs. So far, the species is not so gigantic as it suggests. It is in the range of 20 kg and 30 kg.
6. Amethyst python
Let’s talk about the Amethyst Python in this sixth place with a weight that is close to 90 kilograms. On average, it has a length of 5 meters. They especially love areas where it is warm and humid. They start to come out once the sun goes down, it is indeed a nocturnal snake species.
They can be found in Australia, Indonesia, or New Guinea, they live mostly in tropical forests but they can be found in suburban areas. We are now at the half of the classification, from now on, the gigantism of the snakes that we are going to see is impressive.
5. Python molurus
In the fifth position, we can classify the Python molurus which reaches a weight of 100 kg for its length of about 6 m. Its name is a bit hilarious but this is not the case of the beast because it is able to swallow rather strong and big preys with its special jaw. It breaks the bones of its prey by choking them. This sacred species can be found in India, Vietnam, Pakistan and Burma.
4. Seba’s python
Like the Python morulus, the one that occupies the fourth place is still a python, the Seba Python, this species can be found in Africa and besides, it is the only large African snake in the world. This one which occupies the fourth place can reach about 7,5 m and weighs in the 100 kg. With its heat-sensitive dimples, it detects the presence of mammals in its vicinity, especially antelopes.
3. Reticulated python
In the third position is the reticulated python which can reach a length of up to 10 m and can weigh up to 140 kg. A magnificent specimen with its light brown scales which are covered with diamond shaped patterns of yellow ochre and dark brown.
It lives mainly in Southeast Asia, with its skin, it is possible to make many things like bags, shoes, it is hunted by poachers. It is an endangered species.
2. Burmese Python
Another python in second place, the Burmese Python which can weigh up to 185 kg and can reach 6 m and is the largest of its kind. As a constrictor snake, it cuddles its prey to suffocate them before consuming them. This snake spends the day in holes and only hunts at night.
Indeed, it is a nocturnal animal. It is mostly found in the plains, swampy areas, river banks, rice fields and also in the middle mountains.
1. Anaconda
And here we are in first place, the ultimate largest and biggest snake in the world, it is none other than the great Anaconda which is a giant snake with a weight of 200 kg and measuring up to 8.5 meters. It is found mainly in Latin America, to mention: Colombia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Ecuador.
It turns out that there are rumors that this large giant eats human beings and this is totally false because it prefers rodents, birds, sometimes goats, pigs instead, and it is true that sometimes it eats its fellow creatures, its brothers, its family but they do not have a great preference for humans.
Its jaw opens wide enough to swallow an adult crocodile, even though the crocodile is a tough opponent for this huge snake Unlike the Mamba, cobra, snake, viper, rattlesnake and some species that are quite small and use their fangs to inflict bites on their prey, these specimens, these giant anacondas use their bodies by wrapping themselves around their prey, a technique that suffocates them and mostly leads to death.
It is important to mention that all these giants (Anacondas, Boas, Pythons) are all constrictor snakes, that is to say that they are not venomous and in order to kill their prey, they suffocate them. Their venom is harmless, their bite will only hurt the prey but they do not usually bite their victims. They are all very dangerous snakes and it is wrong to think that as a snake, it must be venomous. People always think that a snake bites and kills by its poisonous venom.
Here is our TOP 20 Most Venomous Snakes in the World 🐍
The largest snake in the world discovered in Venezuela
According to official records, it is said that an Anaconda weighing 235 kg and measuring 8.3 m in length discovered in the 1960s in Venezuela held the record for the world’s largest snake held in captivity.
But in 2016, in Brazil, an Anaconda measuring 10 m long and with a diameter of 1 m was discovered in a construction site. This snake holds the record of the largest snake in the world with its 400 kg. It is gigantic but unfortunately, it died when it was discovered according to the news. But this story is only false information to become famous on the internet.
However, the official record remains the one discovered in the 1960s: an Anaconda of 235 kg for its 8.3 m length and it is still the largest snake that has been discovered.
For more information, anacondas live in swamps, they are semi-aquatic. Indeed, on land they live, however, they like to spend time in the water and these snakes are very good swimmers. They are formidable predators as we could see a formidable fight between a big anaconda and an adult crocodile in a video on the internet.
Indeed, it can swallow even an adult crocodile. They do not chew their prey, they swallow them directly. The digestion time of the prey depends on their size. It is also important to mention that these specimens do not belong to the venomous snake species. Nevertheless, these snake species are very aggressive when they feel threatened.
In a few sentences, we can notice that the biggest snakes in the world are all anacondas and pythons, except for the Boa constrictor, which is one of the giants despite its structure. They are not all dangerous as is often said, on the contrary, some of them are real pets for some people.
However, wouldn’t there be a bigger snake ever recorded than the one discovered in the 60’s? A census should be done to update this information because the species keep evolving. It is also certain that the size of these snakes that we saw is very impressive but what about their lengths? Shouldn’t we also make a detailed classification on the longest snakes in the world? It is necessary to classify snakes by their degree of danger and when we talk about dangerous snakes, we are talking about the most venomous ones. What about this?