Snakes Alive!

Happy June, everyone! In case you didn’t know, June is the month of the snake, and to celebrate, I thought I’d show you a few of the biggest snakes in the world. But don’t worry; you’re not likely to find either of these giants in your backyard anytime soon!

Our first contestant is the reticulated python. Native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia, these pythons can grow to 28 feet in length, making them the longest snake in the world! They’re not poisonous, but they don’t have to be. They hunt by constricting their coils around any kind of live animal they can catch.

Reticulated Python - Photo: Mariluna

While not as long as the reticulated python, our next snake is a real heavyweight. The green anaconda, native to the Amazon rainforest can be as big around as an adult male and can weigh up to an astonishing 215lbs! They’re not short, either; with the longest recorded measuring 16 feet. Although they may be slow on land, the green anaconda spends most of its time in water, where it’s an excellent swimmer. Like pythons, anacondas are not poisonous, and hunt using their incredible constricting strength.



Green Anaconda - Photo: L.A. Dawson