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List of largest snakes

The largest living snakes in the world, measured either by length or by weight, are various members of the Boidae and Pythonidae families. They include anacondas, pythons and boa constrictors, which are all non-venomous constrictors. The longest venomous snake, with a length up to , is the king cobra, while contesters for the heaviest title include the Gaboon viper and the Eastern diamondback rattlesnake. All of these three species reach a maximum mass in the range of .

There are fourteen or fifteen living snake species that have a maximum mass of at least , as shown in the table below. These include all species that reach a length of at least . There are also two other species that reach nearly this length the Oenpelli python (binomial name Nyctophilopython oenpelliensis, Simalia oenpelliensis or Morelia oenpelliensis), and the olive python (Liasis olivaceus). The information available about these two species is rather limited. The Oenpelli python, in particular, has been called the rarest python in the world.

There is considerable variation in the maximum reported size of these species, and most measurements are not verifiable, so the sizes listed should not be considered definitive. In general, the reported lengths are likely to be somewhat overestimated. In spite of what has been, for many years, a standing offer of a large financial reward (initially $1,000 offered by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in the early 1900s, later raised to $5,000, then $15,000 in 1978 and $50,000 in 1980) for a live, healthy snake over long by the New York Zoological Society (later renamed as the Wildlife Conservation Society), no attempt to claim the reward has ever been made.

Although it is generally accepted that the reticulated python is the world's longest snake, most length estimates longer than have been called into question. It has been suggested that confident length records for the largest snakes must be established from a dead body soon after death, or alternatively from a heavily sedated snake, using a steel tape and in the presence of witnesses, and must be published (and preferably recorded on video). At least one reticulated python was measured under full anesthesia at , and somewhat less reliable scientific reports up to have appeared.

Although weight is easier to measure reliably than length (e.g., by simply measuring the weight of a container with and without the snake inside it and subtracting one measurement from the other), a significant factor in the weight of a snake is whether it has been kept in captivity and provided an unusual abundance of food in conditions that also cause reduced levels of activity. Moreover, the weight of wild specimens is often reduced as a symptom of parasite infestations that are eliminated by veterinary care in captivity. Thus, the largest weights measured for captive specimens often greatly exceed the largest weights observed in the wild for the same species. This phenomenon may particularly affect the weight measurements for anaconda species that are especially difficult to keep in captivity due to their semi-aquatic nature, resulting in other species having larger weights measured in captivity. In particular, the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) is an especially massive snake if only observations in the wild are considered.

Largest serpent species in the world

By families

Boas (Boidae)

  • The most massive living member of this highly diverse reptilian order is the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) of the neotropical riverways. These may exceed and , although such reports are not fully verified. Rumors of larger anacondas also persist. The reticulated python (Python reticulatus) of Southeast Asia is longer but more slender, and has been reported to measure as much as in length and to weigh up to .

Typical snakes (Colubridae)

Elapids (Elapidae)

  • The longest venomous snake is the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), with lengths (recorded in captivity) of up to and a weight of up to .The second-longest venomous snake in the world is possibly the African black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis), which can grow up to . Among the genus Naja, the longest member arguably may be the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca), which can reportedly grow up to . In the case of the Indian cobra (Naja naja), the majority of adult specimens range from in length. Some specimens, particularly those from Sri Lanka, may grow to lengths of , but this is relatively uncommon.

Blind snakes (Leptotyphlopidae)

  • The largest blind snake Giant blind snake (Rena maxima) is a female with a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of plus a tail long.

Lamprophids (Lamprophiidae)

  • The largest lamprophids Cape file snake (Heterolepsis capensis) is a medium to large snake. With an average total length (including tail) of about , specimens of total length have been recorded. It has a very flat head, and its body is strikingly triangular in cross-section.

Vipers (Viperidae)

  • The Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica), a very bulky species with a maximum length of around , is typically the heaviest non-constrictor snake and the biggest member of the viper family, with unverified specimens reported to as much as . The wild verified largest specimen of total length, caught in 1973, was found to have weighed with an empty stomach. And therefore, the heaviest venomous snake and also the largest species of viper in present usually is an eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) with a maximum reliable mass in and maximum length of . While not quite as heavy, another member of the viper family is longer still, the South American bushmaster (Lachesis muta), with a maximum length of .
  • The rattlesnake genus Crotalus, which includes the aforementioned eastern diamondback rattlesnake and western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), reaches a maximum length of , and according to W. A. King one large specimen had a length of and a mass of . The third largest rattlesnake is the Mexican west coast rattlesnake (Crotalus basiliscus), which reaches long and mass, and one captive-raised male was weighed at in 2020.

Remarkable individual specimens

Individual specimens considered among largest measured for their respective species include the following:

  • Green anacondas:
  • Specimen killed in February 2013 in the state of Acre, Brazil in the municipality of Feijó reportedly weighing .

The skeleton of this specimen was apparently preserved at the Federal University of Acre and reportedly measured , which implies that the live snake must have been about to . Weight appears not reliably verified, but is plausible for a bulky specimen of that length based on allometric scaling of verified bulky specimens of shorter length.

  • Specimen caught at Vale das Palmeiras, Guarantã do Norte, Mato Grosso, Brazil, 26 August 2011 reportedly measuring and weighing
  • Captive specimen at Reptilarium du Larzac, France measured as and
  • Captive specimen named "Pippi" at Den lille dyrehage in Arendal, Norway measured and weighed
  • Burmese pythons:
  • Wild caught (non-native invasive) Burmese python (Python bivittatus) female♀ (19 ft) caught in the Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County, Florida by Jake Waleri and Stephen Gauta on July 10, 2023. Waleri and several friends caught the large snake. They brought her to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to have her officially documented. New current world record longest Burmese Python recorded by official measurement July 12, 2023.
  • "Baby" a captive Burmese python (Python bivittatus) female♀ , ; "Baby" was kept at Serpent Safari in Gurnee, Illinois, until her death at almost 27 years old, euthanized due to deteriorating condition caused by a tumor in 2006. Several live measurements and post mortem measurement.
  • "Hexxie" a captive Burmese python (Python bivittatus) female♀ , and still growing; "Hexxie" lives in a terraced house in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England, with owner Marcus Hobbs.
  • Wild-caught non-native (invasive) Burmese python (Python bivittatus) female♀ , and measured in diameter; She was carrying 122 developing eggs. Caught by a team of biologists in Everglades, Florida, June 22, 2022.
  • Wild-caught non-native (invasive) Burmese python (Python bivittatus) male♂ , and measured in diameter; caught by Okeechobee Veterinary Hospital, Florida, July 31, 2009.
  • Wild-caught non-native (invasive) Burmese python (Python bivittatus) female♀ , ; caught in Miami-Dade County, Florida, October 2, 2020.
  • Wild-caught non-native (invasive) Burmese python (Python bivittatus) female♀ , ; caught in Miami-Dade County, Florida, May 11, 2012. Intact specimen measured post mortem by University of Florida.
  • Wild-caught non-native (invasive) Burmese python (Python bivittatus) female♀ , ; caught by University of Florida wildlife biologist in Miami-Dade County, Florida, July 9, 2015. Intact specimen measured post mortem by University of Florida.
  • Wild-caught non-native (invasive) Burmese python (Python bivittatus) female♀ , ; caught by Nicholas Banos and Leonardo Sanchez, Everglades, Florida, April 1, 2017.
  • Wild-caught non-native (invasive) Burmese python (Python bivittatus) female♀ , ; she was carrying 73 developing eggs. Caught by Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, April 7, 2019.
  • Reticulated pythons:
  • "Medusa" a captive reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) female♀ ; "Medusa" is kept at the Edge of Hell haunted house attraction in Kansas City, Missouri, and was last officially measured in 2011.
  • "Samantha" a captive (originally wild-caught near Samarinda, Borneo, as an already very large adult) reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) female♀ , somewhat reliable in 2002
  • "Fluffy" a captive reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) female♀ ; "Fluffy" was last officially measured live on September 30, 2009, and died at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell, Ohio, on October 26, 2010, due to an apparent tumor. She was 18 years old. 24 feet confirmed when measured at death.
  • "Colossus", a captive reticulated python (Maylayopython reticulatus) male♂, skeletal measurement ; "Colossus" was kept at the Highland Park Zoo in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, died in April 1963, and the body was deposited at the Carnegie Museum.
  • "Twinkie" a captive reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) female♀ ; "Twinkie" found sanctuary in the 2014 Guinness World Records book as the world's largest albino python in captivity. She was a fixture at The Reptile Zoo in Fountain Valley, CA.
  • "Super Snake", a captive reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) 14-year-old female♀ , ; "Super Snake" is kept at the National Aquarium in Al Qana, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
  • Wild-caught reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) Female♀ adjusted post-mortem measurement, unreliable, originally measured alive at unreliably, using an unknown method, estimated weight upon capture, unreliable; caught April 7, 2016, Paya Terubong district, Penang Island, Malaysia. Died April 10, 2016.
  • Wild-caught reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) unknown sex , unverified; Was killed on October 5, 2017, Pekanbaru, Indonesia.
  • Wild-caught reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) unknown sex , ; Probably, this is largest snake in Phuket in last decade. Caught by Ruamjai Rescue Foundation, December 18, 2014, Phuket, Thailand.
  • Australian scrub pythons:
  • "Maximus" a captive scrub python (Simalia kinghorni) male♂ , , at the peak weighed about , when he was last weighed and measured in 2008; "Maximus" is believed to be the largest Australian native snake in captivity. He is kept at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
  • Wild-caught scrub python (Simalia kinghorni) unknown sex , ; caught by Machans Beach in Cairns, Queensland, November 14, 2017.
  • Wild-caught scrub python (Simalia kinghorni) unknown sex , ; caught by Speewah in Mareeba, Queensland, unknown date.
  • Wild-caught scrub pythons (Simalia kinghorni) unknown sex Both of were more (Second caught as stated measuring long and in weight); caught by Speewah in Mareeba, Queensland, October 24, 2016.
  • Wild-caught scrub python (Simalia kinghorni) unknown sex , ; caught by Speewah in Mareeba, Queensland, February 6, 2017.

See also

References