It’s true that compiling a short list of the world’s largest snakes might be challenging because the term “large” seems rather subjective. This can include things like body mass, weight, length, and width. From a scientific perspective, it is hard to account for every single one of these variables and get a fully accurate rating.
It’s undeniable that certain snakes are enormous in relation to others in their class, regardless of the measurement—weight, height, or length. Across history, these enormous snakes have been crucial to both natural systems and human cultures, serving as a testament to the diversity and resilience of life on Earth.
We’ve looked far and wide for credible, validated sources and research in order to provide you with the most accurate list of the top 10 largest snakes on Earth. This article offers simple information on classifying gigantic snakes according to their sizes.
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Top 10 Largest Snakes in The World
Here, in this article we are going to take a brief look into the top 10 largest snakes in the world. This list might not be accurate as some individual could be bigger in size compared to other in the same species. Let’s dive into the Top 10 largest snakes in the world.
10. Cuban Boa
The enormous Cuban boa (Chilabothrus angulifer), sometimes referred to as the Cuban tree boa, belongs to the Boidae family of snakes. Cuban boa is among North America’s largest snakes. The species is indigenous to Cuba and a few neighboring islands. The cuban boa’s preferred natural habitat includes a variety of forests, including cloud forests, rain forests, evergreen forests, semi-deciduous forests, thorn forests, and coastal scrub forests, which range in elevation from sea level to 1,214 meters (3,983 feet). The pattern of the cuban boa consists of alternating dark brown rhombic dots with a dark brown shading. Cuban boas are semi-arboreal and have an impressive degree of climbing ability despite their size.
- Length: 5 – 5.65 meters
- Weight: 30 kg (66 lb)
- Life expectancy: 30 years
Typically solitary, Cuban boas occasionally get together for mating purposes. Along with carnivorous birds and the Cuban crocodile, it is the most prominent land predator on the island nation. A range of prey consists of anurans, lizards, snakes, turtles, aquatic birds, free-roaming raptors, forest birds, caged birds, free-roaming poultry, bats, birds, pigs, carnivores, rabbits, hutias, and rats, depending on their age, size, and health. Males attain breeding maturity at age three and females reach breeding maturity at age five. Cuban boas have a life expectancy of more than 30 years in the wild.
9. Dark-Spotted Anaconda
The dark-spotted anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei) is a snake species from the Boinae subfamily of the Boidae. This species is indigenous to French Guiana, northern Brazil (the states of Pará and Amapá), and South America. They dwell in the freshwater swamps of the Amazonian Savanna, which are occasionally flooded. Since they have lived in and around water their entire lives, dark-spotted anacondas are skilled divers and swimmers. When they are not in the water, they will scale trees to pursue their prey or leisurely relax on the big branches above pools of water.
- Length: unconfirmed
- Weight: unconfirmed
- Life expectancy: 10 – 30 years
The majority of dark-spotted anacondas grow to a maximum length of seven to eight feet. Nonetheless, specimens of nine to ten feet overall have been seen in recent years. The dark-spotted anaconda is a semi-aquatic species that lives mostly in swampy areas around an altitude of 980 feet (300 meters). This species frequently eats fish, rats, mice, and larger mammals. The dark-spotted anaconda’s recognized predators are fewer in number, with the exception of humans and caimans, who kill the snake for its luxurious skin.
8. Boa Constrictor
Boa constrictor, commonly called common boa, is a huge, heavy-bodied, non-venomous snake species that is widely bred and raised in captivity. The boa constrictor is a large snake that can reach lengths of 3 to 13 feet (0.91 to 3.96 meters) depending on its habitat and the abundance of suitable prey. However, its size seems small when compared with similarly large snakes, including the reticulated python, Burmese python, or the occasionally sympatric green anaconda. Large boa constrictor specimens can weigh up to 27 kg (60 lb), indicating that this snake has a substantial physique. Boa constrictors can have a wide range of colors depending on their environment.
- Length: 3 – 13 feet
- Weight: 27 kg (60lb)
- Life expectancy: 10 – 30 years
Due of its exceptional swimming ability, it is frequently seen in or near rivers and streams. Additionally, boa constrictors live in medium-sized mammal burrows, where they can conceal themselves from possible predators. Although they are nocturnal, if the temperature at night is too low, they hunt during the day. Although their bites can be painful, especially those of large snakes, they are rarely harmful to people. Numerous small to medium-sized mammals and birds are among their prey. Although rodents make up the majority of their diet, they have also been seen to prey on larger lizards and mammals, including ocelots, monkeys, marsupials, armadillos, wild pigs, and monkeys.
7. Yellow Anaconda
The yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus), also referred to as the Paraguayan anaconda, is a species of boa native to southern South America. The yellow anaconda’s range extends from the Pantanal region in Bolivia, Paraguay, and western Brazil to northeastern Argentina and northern Uruguay, where the Paraguay River and its tributaries flow. It inhabits aquatic environments such as swamps and marshes and the brush-covered sides of slow-flowing rivers and streams. The shading pattern consists of a yellow, golden-tan, or greenish-yellow underlying color with black or dark brown saddles, blotches, dots, and streaks.
- Length: 3.7 – 4.6 m
- Weight: 25 – 35 kg
- Life expectancy: 10 – 30 years
Adults reach a maximum length of 3.7 m (12.5 in) on average. There have been reports of females growing up to 4.6 m (15 ft. 1 in) in length, making them usually larger than males. Usually, they weigh between 25 and 35 kg (55 and 77 lb). Nearly all of their prey is aquatic or semi-aquatic, including a variety of fish, eggs, amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. Larger yellow anaconda have the ability to feed on larger animals like peccaries, capybaras, and brocket deer. The yellow anaconda has very few predators. Caimans, larger anacondas, jaguars, and raptors may hunt juveniles and the odd adult. Humans often kill this species for its skin.
6. Amethystine Python
The amethystine python (Simalia amethistina), sometimes called the scrub python, is a non-venomous species of snake belonging to the Pythonidae family. There have been accounts of amethystine python measuring over 5.5 m (18.0 ft.) in total length (including tail); nevertheless, this is unusual, as specimens over 4 m (13 ft.) are typically regarded as exceedingly large. The Amethystine python inhabits Papua New Guinea, numerous islands in Geelvink Bay, Indonesia, and the majority of Western New Guinea. There are amethystine pythons in Northern Australia as well.
- Length: 4 – 5.5 m
- Weight: 26 – 40 kg
- Life expectancy: 10 – 27 years
In their native environment, amethystine pythons have an abundance of prey to pick from. This comprises many types of bats, mice, rats, and occasionally possums or snakes in addition to birds (big and small). It has also been observed that larger Australian species will eat wallabies of different sizes and types. Given that they spend a lot of time near rivers and creeks in order to be well hydrated, fish could possibly be a choice for amethystine pythons. Apart from sporadic crocodiles and humans, this species does not really suffer any threats from other creatures when it comes to predators in the wild.
5. Indian Python
The Indian python (Python molurus) is a big python species found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is also known as the Indian rock Python. The color pattern of the rock python is whitish or yellowish, with blotched patterns that range in tone from tan to dark brown. Terrain and habitat have an impact on this. When fully grown, this species often reaches a length of 9.8 to 12 feet. Nonetheless, many individuals with lengths greater than 15.1 feet have been found in the wild. Many specimens that weigh more than 110 to 200 pounds in the wild have been identified.
- Length: 9.8 – 15.1 feet
- Weight: 110 – 200 pounds
- Life expectancy: 28 years
It inhabits a variety of environments, including river basins, rocky hillsides, grasslands, open forests, and marshes. It requires a dependable water supply. The Indian python, like all snakes, is a major carnivore that consumes anything from birds to frogs to mammals, but it appears that it prefers the latter two. Since their jaw bones aren’t attached, pythons can swallow prey larger than their diameter. If needed, they can spend several minutes completely submerged in water, but they typically choose to stay close to the bank.
4. Central African Rock Python
The Central African rock python (Python sebae) is a big constrictor snake species of the Pythonidae family and found in Central Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to the species. Measuring between 11 and 16 feet in length when fully grown, the African rock python is an incredibly large species of snake. The average weight of the snake is between 97 and 121 pounds; however, the greatest specimen found weighed over 250 pounds. The body size of the snake differs significantly across places. The length of it reaches its maximum in places like Sierra Leone, where the density of the human population is lower. In general, it is smaller in densely populated areas like southern Nigeria.
- Length: 11 – 16 feet
- Weight: 200 – 250 pounds
- Life expectancy: upto 30 years
The thick body of the Central African rock python is covered in colorful spots that frequently come together to form a wide, asymmetrical stripe. The underside of the body is covered in a white fade that alternates between brown, olive, chestnut, and yellow patterns. In contrast to highly evolved snakes, which only have one working lung, pythons have two.
The Central African rock python is non-venomous and kills by constriction, just like all other pythons. The African rock python inhabits forest areas where it feeds on a wide range of large rodents, but in suburban areas it eats rats, chickens, dogs, and goats. In forest areas, it also feeds on vultures, fruit bats, warthogs, antelopes, crocodiles, and more. On occasion, it will also consume fish.
3. Reticulated Python
The reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) is a species of python indigenous to Southeast and South Asia. The reticulated python’s dorsal scales are smooth and grouped in 69-79 rows at midbody. The reticulated python is the biggest snake native to Asia. Over a thousand wild reticulated pythons in southern Sumatra were researched and reported to be 1.5 to 6.5 m (4 ft. 11 in to 21 ft. 4 in) long and weighing 1 to 75 kg (2 lb. 3 oz. to 165 lb. 6 oz.). The reticulated python inhabits rainforests, woodlands, and neighboring grasslands. It is also related to rivers and can be found in places around streams and lakes.
- Length: 11 – 21.4 feet
- Weight: 90 – 130 pounds
- Life expectancy: upto 32 years
It can swim quite well, has been observed far out to sea, and has spread throughout a large number of small islands in its area. Its color pattern consists of intricate geometric shapes with a variety of colors. Large, angular diamond-shaped marks usually encircle smaller, lighter-centered markings on the back. Large variations in size, color, and markings are frequent throughout this species’ broad geographic distribution. The reticulated python, like all pythons, usually waits until its prey walks into its striking range before locking it in its coils and strangling it to death. Mammals and sometimes birds are part of its natural diet.
2. Burmese Python
The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is the second largest species of snake. The Burmese python is a dark-colored, non-venomous snake with several brown streaks down the back. Burmese pythons normally grow to a length of 5 meters (16 feet), whereas specimens of more than 7 meters (23 feet) have been recorded but not confirmed. Fully developed specimens can often reach 200 to 350 pounds. Likewise, the Burmese python currently holds the world record for biggest snake, with one weighing 403 pounds. The Burmese python lives throughout Southern and Southeast Asia, including eastern India.
- Length: 16 – 23 feet
- Weight: 200 – 350 pounds
- Life expectancy: upto 30 years
It is an outstanding swimmer and requires an ever-present source of water. Its habitats include grasslands, marshes, swamps, rocky slopes, woods, river valleys, and jungles with wide clearings. Burmese pythons spend most of their time hiding in the underbrush. Burmese pythons, like all snakes, are carnivorous. Its diet is mostly composed of birds and mammals, although it also includes amphibians and reptiles. It is a sit-and-wait predator, which means it spends much of its time remaining still and waiting for prey to come before attacking quickly. Exceptionally large pythons may require larger food sources, such as pigs or goats, and have been reported to assault and consume alligators and adult deer in Florida.
1. Green Anaconda
The green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), sometimes known as the giant anaconda, is a semi-aquatic boa species that lives in South America and the Caribbean island of Trinidad. The green anaconda is the world’s heaviest and one of the world’s longest snakes, reaching a length of up to 5.21 meters (17 feet and 1 inch). Weights are less widely studied but are believed to range between 30 and 80 kg (66 and 176 lb) in a typical adult. The color scheme consists of an olive green background with black spots throughout the length of the body. The head is narrower than the body, with striking orange-yellow stripes on either side. The eyes are located high on the head.
- Length: 16 – 19 feet
- Weight: 200 – 400 pounds
- Life expectancy: upto 30 years
Green anacondas can be found in South America east of the Andes, including Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, the island of Trinidad, and as far south as northern Paraguay. Anacondas are primarily nocturnal and aquatic. They glide underwater and are able to swim fast. The snake’s eyes and nose are positioned on top of the head, allowing it to breathe and watch for prey while the rest of its body is submerged underwater. Anacondas are apex predators that eat a diverse range of food, including fish, amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. enormous anacondas may eat tapirs, deer, peccaries, capybaras, jaguars, and caimans, although such massive meals are unusual.
Conclusion
Most of these data are based on researches done by some individuals and it does not imply the accuracy of speed on every individual animals of the species. There are other different factors that can impact of the length and weight such as diet, water, or safety. Some individual can swim faster than others. Who knows researchers out there may find out some new exciting information in near future.
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Video Reference
Other References
- https://archive.org/details/livingsnakesofwo00mehr
- https://archive.org/details/talesofgiantsnak00murp/page/2/mode/2up
- https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/top-10-biggest-snakes-in-the-world
- https://www.livescience.com/animals/snakes/the-biggest-snake-in-the-world-and-9-other-giant-serpents
- https://owlcation.com/stem/The-Top-10-Largest-Snakes-in-the-World
