Komodo dragons can only be found on five islands in Indonesia, the most inhabited of which is named Komodo Island. New fossil evidence suggests that the Komodo dragon may have originated in Australia, with some dating back 4 million years. Komodo dragons are carnivorous creatures, and can overcome and consume animals like deer, water bison, and even their own species through sheer power and their toxic venom. While its monstrous size has inspired tales of creatures like Godzilla, this incredible beast of a reptile’s got nothing on the longest snakes in the world! Below are seven amazing snakes that are longer than a Komodo dragon.
1. Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
The green anaconda is not only longer than a Komodo dragon–it’s widely regarded as the longest (and heaviest) snake in the world! Native to South America, the green anaconda’s average length is around 12 to 15 feet long. The males usually max out at around 10 feet, but the females commonly grow to be about 15 to 17 feet long! As far as this snake’s weight goes, it’s also on par with the Komodo dragon, if not sometimes slightly heavier! Weights vary wildly from individual to individual, but most green anacondas weigh somewhere between 70 and 140 pounds. This absolutely massive serpent is thankfully non-venomous, but it’s an expert constrictor with powerful abdominal muscles. This means it latches onto its prey with its mouth and then slowly coils its long body around the unfortunate animal, squeezing it tighter and tighter until it suffocates. They usually hunt at night, as they are nocturnal, and they spend most of their lives in or near low-lying bodies of water like swamps and marshes.
2. Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus)
As another one of the longest snakes in the world, the reticulated python is quite a bit longer than the typical Komodo dragon. Their lengths can vary, but it is common for both males and females of the species to reach well over 12 feet long. In rarer cases, they can even grow to lengths in excess of 20 feet! The longest reticulated python in the world, an individual named Medusa, was measured to be a whopping 25 feet long and weighed 350 pounds. In addition to being one of the longest snakes on the planet, this python is also among the heaviest. Their weights also vary significantly, but most reticulated pythons grow to be well over 150 pounds. This makes them roughly as heavy as a Komodo dragon, too! Incredibly, there are even a few scattered reports of these snakes eating humans by constricting and swallowing them whole. Like the aforementioned green anaconda, the reticulated python is highly aquatic in nature. It mainly resides in Southeast Asia, preferring to live in humid, densely wooded forests near bodies of water like lakes and streams.
3. Burmese Python (Python bivittatus)
Another of several pythons on this list, the Burmese python is one of the longest and heaviest snakes in the world. It is common for them to grow to be around 10 to 15 feet long, with females being both longer and heavier than the males of the species. While the males usually max out at around 10 feet long and 40 pounds, female Burmese pythons regularly reach lengths and weights in excess of 15 feet and 100 pounds! The largest Burmese python ever recorded, an individual named Baby, weighed 403 pounds and measured almost 19 feet. Like the previous two snakes on this list, the Burmese python is also highly aquatic in nature. It lives throughout Southeast Asia, typically in low-lying forests near large bodies of water. Burmese pythons are strong swimmers and exceptional climbers thanks to their powerful abdominal muscles and prehensile tails.
4. Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis)
The black mamba doesn’t seem like it’d be long enough to make this list. However, it’s common for these aggressive, highly venomous snakes to reach almost 10 feet in length! It’s not a particularly heavy-bodied snake, but its deadly venom is more than enough to take down prey almost instantly and even kill humans in mere hours. It’s actually the second-longest venomous snake in the world! While most black mambas reach around 7 to 10 feet long, it isn’t terribly uncommon for them to exceed this length. The longest recorded black mambas clock in at nearly 15 feet! These downright terrifying snakes mainly reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. They prefer fairly dry habitats like scrublands and savannas. They are terrestrial and arboreal in nature, spending an equal amount of time on the ground and climbing in trees. Black mambas are notoriously skittish, fast-moving, and unpredictable, so stay far, far away if you manage to encounter one!
5. King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world. Its average length is around 10 to 13 feet, making it several feet longer than the typical Komodo dragon! Their maximum size is around 19 feet, but individuals of this length are fairly rare. What’s more, their venom is potent and full of powerful neurotoxins and cytotoxins that paralyze their prey’s nervous systems and cause rapid cell death simultaneously. Notably, they feed primarily on other, smaller snakes, occasionally even other members of its own species. This ferocious snake lives in many countries throughout Southeast Asia, such as China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal, and India. It’s actually widely considered to be the national reptile of India. While king cobras are not actually cobras (believe it or not, they belong to a different genus!), Indian cobras are considered one of the “Big Four” venomous snakes that cause the most incidences of human snake bites in India.
6. Amethystine Python (Simalia amethistina)
The amethystine python is another one of the largest snakes in the world, as they are both very long and heavy-bodied. Their typical length as adults is around 7 to 14 feet. However, it isn’t that uncommon for them to grow to be in excess of 20 feet or longer! Their weight can vary significantly, but most amethystine pythons weigh anywhere from 60 to 100 pounds. This makes them longer and occasionally heavier than most Komodo dragons! One of the longest amethystine pythons in the world, a female measured by Guinness World Records, was a whopping 23.6 feet long! Females of the species are typically much larger and longer than males. Interestingly, these beautifully colored and ornately patterned snakes have a quite limited geographical range. They are primarily native to Indonesia, northern Australia, and Papua New Guinea. Most commonly, they reside in hot, humid forests near large bodies of water.
7. Yellow Anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)
We cap off this list with the incredible yellow anaconda, another one of the largest and longest snakes on the planet. They are actually closely related to the green anaconda, another absolutely enormous snake long enough to gain a spot on this list. The yellow anaconda’s average length is around 10 to 14 feet! Females are typically significantly larger and longer than the males of the species. They are also very heavy-bodied snakes, usually weighing around 60 to 80 pounds. The largest recorded individuals clock in at over 15 feet long and over 120 pounds! These handsome yet intimidating yellow snakes live primarily in South America, but they have also been introduced to Florida in recent years. Like most anacondas, they are highly aquatic. They prefer to live in low-lying swamps and marshes near slow-moving bodies of water.
Summary of 7 Snakes that are Longer Than a Komodo Dragon
Let’s wrap up the seven snakes that can outdo a komodo dragon in length:
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