What is the Largest Snake in the World
Snakes are a long, slender reptiles best known for not having legs. They are commonly seen as being dangerous animals because some species can bite humans and inject venom that is powerful enough to kill. However, the vast majority of snakes are nonvenomous or have only enough venom to kill a small animal. Snakes are found throughout most of the world, including many of the oceans, but are not found in Antarctica and some isolated islands. The average size for a snake is about 1 m (3 ft) in length, but many species are much larger than this. Let’s find out which species of snake is the largest on the planet.
What is the largest species of snake?
The heaviest snake in the world is the green anaconda (eunectes murinus), also called common anaconda or water boa. This snake can reach an impressive 6.6 m (22 ft) in length and weigh in excess of 70 kg (150 lb). The heaviest scientifically verified green anaconda weighed an impressive 97.5 kg (215 lb), but many people believe that larger specimens exist (they live in very remote locations where they are hard to catch). A $50,000 reward is offered for anyone that can catch an anaconda over 9.1 m (30 ft). As it currently stands the green anaconda is the second longest snake in the world.
The longest snake in the world is the reticulated python. They can grow up to 6.95 m (22.8 ft) in length, although average size is 3-6 m (10-20 ft). They are more slender than the green anaconda and weigh no more than 75 kg (165 lb). In fact, a 4.5 m green anaconda will weigh more than a full size reticulated python. This species is nonvenomous, but is large enough to be a threat to humans and there have been various reports of humans being killed via constriction. The snake is not capable of swallowing a full sized adult, but a child or teenager could theoretically be swallowed by a reticulated python.
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