A 49-foot retic?
Tuesday, December 30, 2003 at 10:16 AM | Reptiles and Amphibians | 9

A 15-metre, 450-kg reticulated python is reportedly on display at a village zoo in Indonesia (Google News search). That would shatter the records for longest and heaviest recorded snake. But I’m extremely skeptical of this report for several reasons. One, it’s about 17 feet longer than the documented record for this species. Two, it’s been publicized before it’s been confirmed — I smell a scheme to get rich off credulous tourists. And three, everyone exaggerates snakes’ length, because it’s impossible for the inexperienced to eyeball it — how many six-foot garter snakes have been reported?

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Comments

Bryan, January 2 at 10:31 AM:

I was an owner of a 28 foot reticulated python and the girth of my snake was indeed twice the girth of the reported 49 footer. From the photos I have seen of this snake on the web, I would guess maybe thirty (and that is stretching it) but even at that, a 30 footer is still a great find.

iluvtech2003, January 2 at 11:57 AM:

Feeding a snake 4 dogs a month - where are the animal rights acivists when we need them?

none, January 4 at 2:31 AM:

animal rights? the snake has rights to eat, doesn’t it? I hate it when people deny some animal rights in the favor of others. Ie Snakes. They get denied by petsmart and stuipid animal rights groups. Snakes have rights too. Snakes are animals too. Let them eat.

John, January 4 at 8:35 PM:

People should shut up and realize how extraordinary and beautiful this animal is. Shut off your ridiculous phobias and biases for just long enough to realize how incredible it is that you can even see an animal like this.

James, January 5 at 5:09 PM:

I am also skeptical of its supposed 49 ft length. None of the pictures give any scale to the snake. Additionally, it’s so far beyond the length of any other known specimen, that this alone should make people wonder how true it could be. However, I would love to see a 49 ft snake. If it were a biological abberration, such as what is seen in people in people with acromegaly (gigantism), then I believe something like this could happen. But I won’t believe it until its verified. To iluvtech2003” - By the way, if you want to talk about another culture’s practices (such as using dogs for snake food), then judge them by what they find acceptable, not by what you find acceptable. I despise ethnocentrism.

claude cazanave, January 5 at 7:41 PM:

Seen movies of the snake.
It’s head and body seem to small.
It looks more like a 30 footer.
I think a true 50 footer would have a larger head.

ward standish, January 8 at 10:00 PM:

YOU SAID IT JAMES. I OWN 6 REGISTERED PEKINGESE AND THREE PIT BULLS. OBVIOUSLY I LIKE DOGS, BUT I ALSO LIKE SNAKES. AND SNAKES ARE PREDATORS JUST LIKE DOGS,AND IF THOSE DOGS WOULD HAVE KILLED THAT PYTHON AND EATEN IT WHO WOULD HAVE CARED.SURELY NOT THE INDIVIDUAL WHOM YOU FOCUSED YOUR REPLY.

Daniel Taylor, January 16 at 4:29 PM:

A picture of the snake was in a newspaper article about a week ago. It had a man standing directly beside it, while it rested on some sort of shelf. To me it looked nothing like a 49 footer and much closer to a 30 footer. Owell. Like others have said, it’s still a big snake.

Jonathan Crowe, January 21 at 6:35 PM:

It’s been measured. 21½ feet.
http://www.mcwetboy.com/mcwetlog/archives/000080.phtml