Longest snake species

What to remember

Measuring a snake several metres long is tricky, and this record proves it: the 10.05 m credited to the reticulated python has never been firmly verified. The species is nonetheless generally considered the world's longest snake.

Other measurements, rated somewhat reliable, concern named individuals. "Samantha" reached 7.92 m in 2002, "Medusa" 7.67 m in 2011, "Fluffy" 7.3 m in 2010, while "Twinkie" and "Super Snake" measured 7 m. A wild specimen measured in 1999, a figure rated reliable, was 6.95 m. Individuals longer than 6 m are rare, and adults are at least 3.04 m long.

By weight, the reticulated python only comes third, behind the green anaconda and the Burmese python. Native to South and Southeast Asia, it is an excellent swimmer: it has been reported far out at sea and has colonised many small islands within its range.