Biggest Snakes Ever Discovered
You either like snakes, or you hate them, there no in between. And if you’re a snake lover wanting to
convert some of the snake haters out there, well, better not show them this video.
Today we’ll be talking about the biggest snakes to have ever roamed the earth. Nothing mu8ch to add to
that so let’s begin shall we?
Aboriginal people living in Australia at the same time as Wonambi were certainly aware of the presence
of large snakes and indeed warned their children about going to watering holes alone.
It was a constrictor which meant that it wrapped itself around its prey and tightened its grip so that its
prey could not breathe.
Despite its killing efficiency, Wonambi probably could not tackle larger animals
Number 6. The African Rock Python
The African rock python is a large constrictor native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of the biggest snake
species in the world, and although it rarely attacks humans, it is still greatly feared. With the largest
specimen measured at 25 feet in length, it’s not hard to imagine why. On average though, they measure
at between 11 and 13 feet.
African rock pythons have a thick body covered with colored blotches, often joining up in a broad,
irregular stripe. Like all pythons, its scales are small and smooth. Those around the lips possess heat-
sensitive pits, which are used to detect warm-blooded prey in low to zero light conditions.
1 The Yurlunggur
The Yurlunggur might not the biggest one on our list, but definitely one of the oldest. Believed to have
slithered in the primeval forests of Australia around 23 million years ago, Yurlunggur is a genus of fossil
snakes from the extinct family Madtsoiidae.
It was a large predator that seemed to have existed in the region since the Miocene epoch. It is
described as a member of the Madtsoiidae family, which includes species like Wonambi, which you’ll get
to know more of a little bit later.
Its name was derived from the traditional name given by the people of Arnhem Land to the Rainbow
Serpent. They were large snakes, up to 19.69 feet long and almost a foot thick, that looked more like
monitor lizards, rather than a garden variety snake.
Yurlunggur was a constrictor which means it coiled around its prey and squeezing it to death.
2 The Amethystine Python
Taking the ninth spot is the amethystine python. It has been recorded at a record length of 28 feet but
on average they grow to lengths of about 16 and a half feet. It is a slender python for its size and not
able to kill the large animals that its relative, the anaconda of South America, can. It is a dull olive brown
or greenish-yellow in color, but the scales have an overall amethyst iridescence, which produces an
attractive shimmering effect, especially in sunlight, making it one of the most beautiful snakes you’ll
ever see.
This species can be found in the tropical rainforests and scrub forests of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea,
Australia and Philippines.
Smaller pythons spend most time in trees, while the larger ones spend most of their time on the ground
in mangrove swamps, dense rainforests or along stream and rivers in scrubland. It is a good swimmer, so
can travel by water if needed.
Like most large pythons, amethystines feed on a variety of small mammals such as fruit bats, rats and
possums. They will also eat small and medium sized birds and occasionally even large lizards such as
monitors.
3 The Indian Rock Python
The Indian python comes from the forests of Nepal, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan but can sometimes be
found in rocky foothills, river valleys and scrubland. This snake lives alone except during mating season.
An ambush hunter, it often drapes itself over branches or coils up on the ground, waiting to ambush
prey. You can usually see these guys near water in areas that offer plenty of cover.
The largest Indian rock python ever recorded was measured at around 20 feet, but can be commonly
found at more manageable lengths of between 12 to 14 feet, still large enough to land it on number 8
on our list. They can also tip the scales at 200 pounds.
Unlike many other snakes, the Indian rock python is a very zealous mother. She lays anywhere from 20
to 100 eggs about three months after mating. When she is done laying she curls herself around her
brood to protect them for the two to three months it takes for them to hatch. During this time, she
rarely leaves them and continually twitches her muscles to generate a few degrees of warmth for her
young. The babies hatch fully formed from the leathery eggs and leave the nest almost immediately to
strike out on their own.
4 The Wonambi
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