Giant snake that went viral on video may be real, but it is not found in Brazil

In videos circulating on social media, images of a gigantic snake, possibly in an indigenous village in Southeast Asia, gained traction among internet users.

In the shared records, it is possible to see the animal tied to a wooden structure in constant movement trying to free itself.

In many comments, onlookers disbelieve the veracity of the videos. “It’s not possible for a snake that size”, “Is it real?” and “Is it fact or fake, guys?”, are some comments that can still be viewed.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been losing fear of the big snake institution

Nowadays I see this animal much more as a monument of contemplation, than a ferocious predator

the real fear is of small snakes that can surprise

big snake is mobile pic.twitter.com/MMKRAwI08u

— Guto Barbosa ⏱🌎 (@foioguto) October 21, 2023

What species is the snake?

According to herpetologist Henrique Abrahão, from the channel “Biologist Henrique, the Snake Biologist”, the images are authentic and the animal is the species Malayopython reticulatus, not found in Brazil.

A CNN , the expert explains that the snake originates from Southeast Asia and is recognized as the largest species in the world. “The largest ever recorded is called Medusa, which is 7.6 meters. The one in the video appears to be 5 meters, but we can’t be sure,” he says.

“No matter how wide it is, there is no person who has been devoured by it at this moment. She probably ate some animal, whether a pig or a chicken, and was soon captured. Furthermore, we don’t know what happens to her afterwards,” he explains.

In several publications, there is speculation among internet users that the animal was found in a Brazilian indigenous village. Henrique emphasizes that the terms “indigenous” and “native” are not limited exclusively to the original people of Brazil. Therefore, considering that the snake is not part of the Brazilian fauna, it is possible that it was found in a village of indigenous Asian people.