Well I don’t know about 30 ft, but this is definitely a whopper of a snake! The green anaconda is the heaviest snake on the planet. They are just massive! The green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), also known as the giant emerald anaconda, common anaconda, common water boa or sucuri, is a boa species found in South America. It is the heaviest and one of the longest known extant snake species. No subspecies are currently recognized. Like all boas, it is a non-venomous constrictor. Reports of anacondas 35–40 ft or even longer exist, but such claims must be regarded with caution, as no specimens of such lengths have ever been deposited in a museum and hard evidence is lacking. The longest and heaviest verified specimen encountered by Dr. Jesús Antonio Rivas, who had examined more than 1,000 anacondas, was a female 17 ft 1 inches long and weighing 214 lb 15 oz. In 1937, a specimen shot in Guyana measured 19 ft 4 in long and weighed 359 lb. The remote location of the snake’s habitat has historically made locating, capturing, and returning specimens difficult. Transporting very large specimens to museums, especially before substantial decay, is difficult (though this has not prevented the return of much larger and more cumbersome crocodilian specimens). Skins can stretch substantially, increasing the snake’s size by more than 50% if stretched during the tanning process. Reports without physical proof are considered dubious if from non-scientists, as such individuals may at worst be more interested in promoting themselves or telling a good tale, or at the least may not be sufficiently trained in proper measurement methods. Observational reports of animals which were not captured are even more dubious, as even trained scientists often substantially overestimate the size of anacondas prior to capture. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this species has been perhaps subject to the most extreme size exaggerations of any living animal. Regardless, I think we can all agree that the snake in the video is certainly massive!:) Video credit @wild_whisperer Be sure to follow them on Instagram for more awesome content!

Snakes have long been symbols of mystery, danger, and power, capturing our imaginations with their silent movements and deadly efficiency. While modern species like the Anaconda already stretch the limits of size and strength, prehistoric giants like Titanoboa—and a newly discovered challenger, Vasuki indicus—push the boundaries of what we thought was possible in the world of snakes.

Anaconda: Modern-Day Giant

The Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) is the world’s heaviest snake and arguably the most iconic one as well. Found in the swamps and rivers of the Amazon Basin, this snake is a master of stealth, often lurking just beneath the water’s surface to ambush prey. Unlike venomous snakes, Anaconda relies on sheer physical strength to hunt. It coils around its prey and crushes it with immense force, often causing suffocation or cardiac arrest.

While most Green Anacondas measure between 6 and 9 meters, some individuals have reportedly reached up to 10 meters in length. Their weight is equally impressive, with some tipping the scales at 250 kg, making them the heaviest snake species alive today. In 2016, construction workers in Brazil discovered an Anaconda measuring a staggering 10 meters, cementing its place as a modern colossus

Titanoboa: A Prehistoric Monster

As massive as the Anaconda is, it’s dwarfed by the legendary prehistoric giant, Titanoboa (Titanoboa cerrejonensis). This extinct snake lived around 60 million years ago in the warm, swampy rainforests of what is now Colombia. Measuring up to 13 meters in length and weighing over a ton, Titanoboa was the apex predator of its time.

Fossil evidence suggests that Titanoboa fed on large prey, including ancient crocodiles and giant fish. The Earth’s higher temperatures during the Paleocene epoch likely supported its immense size, creating an ideal environment for reptiles to grow larger than they do today. Paleontologists discovered Titanoboa’s fossils in the Cerrejón coal mine in 2009, marking one of the most exciting finds in herpetology.

Titanoboa wasn’t just a snake; it was a living, slithering reminder of the monstrous scale of prehistoric life. Its incredible size and strength would have made it nearly invincible in its ecosystem, earning it the title of the largest snake ever—at least until recently..