What is the biggest snake in the world?

There are some pretty huge animals out there, and the world's biggest snake is certainly no exception. What is the biggest snake in the world, how long and heavy is it, and where does it live? We've wrapped it up for you.

The largest snake in the world was also said to be profoundly colorful (stock image).
The largest snake in the world was also said to be profoundly colorful (stock image).  © 123RF / galerynyna

The animal world never fails to fascinate, surprising us with huge snakes that would make even Harry Potter cringe in terror.

The largest snake in the world certainly doesn't originate from Europe, nor does it come from North America or even Australia. So, what is it, and where does it come from?

TAG24 will take you through the animal world record for the longest snake: Where's it from, what species is it, and how long and heavy is it?

What's the biggest snake in the world in 2022?

The longest snake to ever have been recorded is a reticulated python that was shot and killed in 1912.

Yet, this record, provided by Guinness World Records, is not necessarily the biggest ever. Other species, like the Anaconda, may have been bigger, in some cases. But 1912's snake is the largest found since records began.

The Reticulated Python is the longest snake in the world (stock image).
The Reticulated Python is the longest snake in the world (stock image).  © 123RF / charlottebleijenberg

Where is the biggest snake in the world from?

The reticulated python is a snake species native to Southeast Asia, with the biggest snake in the world having been discovered in Celebes, Indonesia.

This record-making island snake was absolutely massive, found on one of the four Greater Sunda Islands. Celebes is also known as Sulawesi.

The country is still home to some of the biggest found snakes in the world - like a python who recently devoured a local woman whole.

How long and heavy is the biggest snake in the world?

The largest recorded snake, discovered in 1912, was 32.8 feet (10 meters) in length.

This is significantly longer than the average length of reticulated pythons, which generally grow to a maximum of 20-22 feet (6-7 meters) in length and 165 pounds (75 kilograms) in weight.

These numbers are for female pythons, who are on average much shorter and lighter. The 1912 reticulated python was found in the wild, but the longest and biggest of its kind ever to be held in captivity was a different snake named Medusa, who measured 25 feet in length.

What is the heaviest snake in the world, and how heavy is it?

The Anaconda is the heaviest snake in the world, and calls places like Brazil and Trinidad home (stock image).
The Anaconda is the heaviest snake in the world, and calls places like Brazil and Trinidad home (stock image).  © 123RF / wrangel

The heaviest type of snake ever recorded is the Great Anaconda, a resident of South America.

The heaviest snake to ever be recorded by Guinness World Records was an Anaconda that weighed approximately 500 pounds (or 22 7 kilograms) and was approximately 27 feet in length. Crazily, this giant monster also had a girth of about 44 inches (or 111 centimeters).

The Anaconda generally resides in tropical South America, as well as in Trinidad, and is one of the strongest, longest, and most frightening snakes on Earth. These terrifying beasts often take hold and strangle their prey before swallowing them whole. While they are non-poisonous, they are still extremely dangerous.

Therapy dog brutally beaten by prison inmate in shocking footage
Dogs Therapy dog brutally beaten by prison inmate in shocking footage

Also known as the Green Anaconda, females are also much bigger than males, and average at about 15 feet in length. That might not be quite as huge as 27 feet, but it's still darn-well enormous and darn-well deadly.

Beware!

What is the longest snake ever to exist?

In 2009, researchers found a fossilized snake in Colombia which is now thought to be potentially the longest snake species to ever exist.

The Titanoboa is said to have lived around 60 million years ago, was approximately 40-45 feet long (13-14 meters) and weighed more than a ton!

Just like the Anaconda, this bad-boy was huge, but also non-venomous.

Getting prehistoric with the biggest snake in the world

It is quite clear that, due to its weight and length, the Great Anaconda is likely to be, overall, the biggest snake in the world. This dangerous reptile can grow to extraordinary lengths and has existed for hundreds of thousands, if not millions of years. These prehistoric dinosaurs are ancient and incredibly intriguing, as there's still a lot that remains a mystery to researchers.

Keep in mind, though, that not every animal that has lived has been discovered yet, or officially recorded. Indeed, the longest recorded snake was a reticulated python that was shot in the early 20th century, but it is likely that far longer, heavier, and wider snakes have slivered across the Earth in the many centuries and millennia that came before.

Cover photo: 123RF / galerynyna

More on Animal World Records: