The largest snakes in the world reach lengths that will send shivers down your spine. They’re some of the most formidable predators on the planet, capable of hunting and killing even other apex predators. We’ve ranked the 18 longest of these snakes for you.
Green Tree Python
We start off with the green tree snake, a bright green snake (as its name suggests) found in the rainforests in New Guinea, Indonesia, and Australia. As an adult, this snake is known to be about seven feet in length and weighs only about four pounds, making it the lightest on our list.
Angolan Python
Angolan pythons are constrictors found across the rocky and arid areas from Southern Angola to Namibia. Also called Anchieta’s dwarf pythons, these snakes stretch seven feet in length and weigh up to ten pounds. Despite their status as ‘dwarves,’ they’re deemed too aggressive for humans to approach.
Dumeril’s Boa
With Dumeril’s boa, we have a snake that grows seven feet long and weighs about 20 pounds as an adult, according to the Oakland Zoo. This heavy-bodied snake, like many on our list, is a solitary creature that hunts mostly at night, and its mottled brown and black skin color makes it well camouflaged among leaves.
Blood Python
The blood python is a thick-bodied snake that can grow up to eight feet in length and weigh about 50 pounds in its prime. It gets its name from the blood-red markings spread across its skin, and its relatively short tail also earns it the name ‘short-tailed python.’ This non-venomous snake feeds on turtles, snakes, lizards, and even crocodiles.
Timor Python
Reaching eight feet in length and weighing up to 20 pounds, the Timor python is an active snake that’s native to the southeastern islands of Indonesia. It’s a sensitive, shy snake that thankfully poses no threat to humans and, instead, feeds on small reptiles, birds, mice, and rats.
Carpet Python
The carpet python is a 13-foot-long, 33-pound constrictor that’s known to have a rather calm demeanor when settled. You’ll find the carpet python, also called the ‘spilota,’ in areas like the Bismarck Archipelago, Australia, and the northern Solomon Islands, where it primarily feeds on mice and rats.
Olive Python (Liasis olivaceus)
Olive pythons are a tight-bodied, long-headed species of snake that you can find inhabiting the rocky outcrops and riverbanks of Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. These snakes, as adults, are known to be about 13 feet in length and weigh up to 50 pounds.
Yellow Anaconda
With females generally larger than males, the yellow anaconda is a constrictor that the FWC says spans about 13 feet in length and weighs an average of 110 pounds. Some also call it the ‘Paraguayan anaconda,’ as it’s a snake that’s endemic to the southern parts of South America.
Boa Constrictor
The Boa constrictor comes at the same length as the yellow anaconda (13 feet), but it weighs differently—about 60 pounds as an adult. It’s also found in the rainforests of South America and is typically protected under conservation laws, as it’s a target for its skin and trade in the exotic pet market.
African Rock Python
The Florida Museum tells us that the African rock python is a large, stout-bodied snake that can grow up to 14 feet in length. It’s the largest snake in Africa—so large, aggressive, and dangerous that it eats dogs, cats, warthogs, and even crocodiles. This makes it a hazard around small children.
Papuan Python (Apodora papuana)
The Papuan python is a native of the rain forests and savannahs of New Guinea. This species can grow to over 16 feet long and weigh an average of 50 pounds. Its olive-brown coloration earns it the name ‘Papuan olive python.’
King Cobra
The king cobra is the only poisonous snake on our list, and it’s also the largest venomous snake in the world. This native of bamboo thickets and mangrove swamps in Southeast Asia can reach up to 18 feet in length and weigh an average of 20 pounds.
Indian Python
Indian pythons are inhabitants of the rainforests, grassy marshlands, and woodlands of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Adults can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh as much as 159 pounds. They’re nocturnal hunters that love to prey on small mammals and birds.
Burmese Python
According to the National Zoo, with the Burmese python, “lengths of over 15 feet are common, and they may exceed 22 feet in human care.” The Burmese python is a native of Southeast Asia that has now become an invasive species in the Florida Everglades, where tens of thousands live today.
Scrub Python
The scrub python is another snake native to Australia—this time, the northern tropical rainforests of Queensland. It’s our first constrictor that’s truly dangerous to full-grown human adults. This snake is known to reach about 26 feet in length and weigh over 110 pounds.
Amethystine Python
The amethystine python is a real giant that can span lengths of up to 28 feet and weigh up to 60 pounds. Brittanica refers to it as the longest snake in Australia. It’s also known for the symmetrical scales on the top of its head and is found in other places like Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
Green Anaconda
Green anacondas can reach astounding lengths of 30 feet on average, and although this doesn’t make them the longest snakes in the world, at 550 pounds, they’re by far the heaviest. These humongous snakes are found in the swamps, marshes, and slow-moving streams of the Amazon forest and Orinoco basin.
Reticulated Python
We’re finally at the longest snake in the world, the reticulated python, which grows to an average of 33 feet in length and weighs about 165 pounds. There are dwarf and super dwarf subspecies that only reach lengths of 13 feet and 8 feet, respectively, and despite their size, these pythons are some of the best swimmers in their family.
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