![]() ![]() From our perspective, it’s an age old cat and mouse game, whose predatory danger has likely been passed down through generations in our mythical stories. If nothing else, if we’re within the size range of prey they eat, we could be on the menu. Given that large constrictors like this have been living with humans for thousands of years, it means the largest of these snakes probably could have it out for us. Now consider the fact that at 23’ these snakes can be man eaters and that they can get upwards of 30+ feet long. It’s a bit like putting a giant tourniquet on your whole body. If these snakes cut off blood supply quickly, the prey die much faster. When you crunch the numbers, the limiting factor is the flow of blood to the brain, not how long you can survive without breathing. By placing pressure sensors inside its next meal (a large pig), we could see that the suffocation myth was busted. ![]() We were able to test a massive Sulawesi reticulated python in a lab setting. ![]() In the show, I worked with physiologists who studied the power of these snakes. I hosted an Animal Planet show where I investigated the python that swallowed a young man named Akbar on the island of Sulawesi. Reticulated Pythons can eat an adult humanĮveryone always thinks constrictors like the reticulated python kill through suffocation. Oddly, it also lists the largest one ever caught in Celebes, Indonesia in 1902 at 32.75 feet – even though many scientists are skeptical of this historical report and think the longest ever may be a bit smaller. The Guinness book of world records lists the largest officially measured living snake as Medusa – 25 ft 2 in. However, no snake has been officially measured that long, and large specimens of these species are becoming increasingly rare due to urbanisation and illegal poaching for the pet trade. Biologists tend to agree that this snake could reach lengths of around 30 feet. The reticulated python does, however, hold the record for the world’s longest snake living today. ![]() They’re not the heaviest either – anacondas claim that title at over 500 pounds. As NTU is located close to forested areas, it is not surprising to find wildlife on the campus however students are being urged to remain vigilant when walking on the sidewalk near the bushes.How do we measure the biggest snake? Reticulated pythons are not the longest snake to have ever lived – the extinct Titanoboa currently takes that trophy at over 42’ long. The cobra was spotted again later in the day, perhaps in search of its missing meal. Both species are indigenous to Singapore. While reticulated pythons prefer a diet of mammals and occasionally birds, king cobras are known for their snake-eating behaviour, so it’s likely that the cobra was the attacker in this case. The python was later captured by NTU pest control officers, and appeared sluggish after the battle. The animals battled it out for about 20 minutes before the cobra slithered off into some nearby bushes. The python was shorter at an estimated 1.5-2 metres (5-6 feet) long.Ī large crowd gathered to watch the wrestling snakes, some sneaking dangerously close so they could snap photos. According to graduate student Abhishek Ambede, who witnessed the battle, the cobra was the longer of the two snakes, and looked to be about 3.6 metres (about 12 feet) in length. Bystanders managed to capture images and footage of the snakes as they battled it out near the university’s Research Techno Plaza (RTP). ![]()
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