Reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) The longest known reticulated pythons of the present day are between 7 and 8 meters (22.9 and 26.2 feet) long. (more) What Is the Largest Snake in the World? Written by Shabnam Dohutia Shabnam Dohutia is executive editor, Encyclopaedia Britannica. Having worked in various editorial positions at Oxford University Press and Pearson, Shabnam has almost two decades’ experience in content... Shabnam Dohutia Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated June 5, 2026 •History Reticulated pythons and green anacondas are the largest living snakes in the world, but the answer to “What is the largest snake in the world?” depends on what you’re looking for: the longest snake alive, the heaviest snake alive, the longest or heaviest snake to ever have existed, or the species whose individuals frequently rank among the world’s longest or heaviest. In any case, the colossal 40–80-foot monsters depicted in Hollywood movies are—breathe easy—exaggerated, at...

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