The Largest Snake Discovered In The World So Far Was Massive And Had A Huge Appetite

Snakes can be the object of horror for some, with 2% to 3% of the world having ophidiophobia (a great fear of snakes), according to a study published in Psychiatry Research. Others note that snakes make good pets and champion the unique bond they form with their scaly friends. Regardless of where people stand, the world's largest snake, the titanoboa (Titanoboa cerrejonensis), paints a terrifying picture of an ancient beast that once thrived over 50 million years ago.

First unearthed in 2009 in a Cerrejón coal mine in northern Colombia, the titanoboa is a snake of intimidating proportions. Estimated to be 45 to 50 feet long and 3 feet wide, this giant snake likely weighed more than one ton. This makes the current record holder, the green anaconda — with females reaching 30 feet in length and weighing up to 550 pounds — seem small in comparison. A green anaconda can eat prey that ranges between 14% and 50% of its mass. If the titanoboa were similar, it could prey on animals the size of a grizzly bear or an Arabian horse. The exact diet of the titanoboa is unknown, though signs show it may have preyed largely on fish, having a jaw similar to known underwater hunters, and mostly lived in the water. While evidence points to a piscivorous diet, its size suggests it could have also preyed on large mammals, alligators, and smaller snakes. As a non-venomous boa, it would have to crush its prey before swallowing it.

The remarkable discovery of the titanoboa offers a chilling image of a prehistoric beast that we thankfully don't have to contend with today. Moreover, the reason such a behemoth existed and eventually went extinct offers a fascinating look at the ever-changing natural world.

The sheer size of the titanoboa may seem fresh out of a work of fiction. However, megafauna have existed throughout history, from the largest wolf of all time, Epicyon haydeni, to the saber-tooth tiger that towers over modern-day wolves and wildcats. The titanoboa was likely able to thrive in the rainforests of South America due to a difference in temperatures compared to today. Snakes' metabolism slows down once they reach a specific size to ensure the cold-blooded animal can maintain a healthy body temperature. For the titanoboa, the temperature along the equator in the rainforests where it existed would've likely been around 10 degrees hotter on average to allow it to grow to gigantic proportions.

The specific reason for the titanoboa's extinction remains unknown, but the leading theory is that climate and landscape changes led to its decline. As the temperatures became colder, smaller snakes began to thrive, diminishing the massive titanoboa's food source. The transformation of rainforests into grasslands due to climate change also reduced the hunting territory of the once-dominant boa. Despite the many unknowns about the titanoboa, its discovery reflects a fascinating period in Earth's history that allowed such giants to exist.

Looking for more stories about nature's unique creatures? Check out the longest-living animal on earth, which is also one of the strangest.