World’s largest Snake: Finding & Caring for a Giant Reticulated Python (Bronx Zoo)

[findiviglio]

Hi All,
While working at the Bronx Zoo, I had the once-in-a lifetime opportunity of helping to import and care for one of the largest snakes in captivity. While “largest snake” debates are ongoing, the massive Reticulated Python I came to know was awe-inspiring by any standard. Dubbed “Samantha”, she was captured as an adult in Borneo, and eventually reached 26 feet in length and 275 pounds in weight. The story of how she arrived in the USA involves a cash reward established by Theodore Roosevelt, the leather trade, animal dealers and other twists and turns.
Wanted: 30 Foot-Long-Snake

In 1910, Theodore Roosevelt, long involved with the Bronx Zoo, offered a reward to the first person who presented a snake of 30 feet in length; in time the reward grew to $50,000. In 1992, I and other Bronx Zoo staff heard rumors that a giant Reticulated Python that had been captured in Borneo. We did not get overly-excited… being well-seasoned, I automatically deducted 25-50% from the size of any “biggest snake-turtle-croc” stories that came my way. But then grainy photos arrived by mail, and the snake depicted was, if not the largest I’d seen, impressive. Whether by design or bad luck, the photos did not allow us to accurately gauge the animal’s length.
In those pre-internet days, it was difficult to correspond with the leather company that owned the snake, which was confined in a railroad car near Samarinda, Borneo. Then as now, importing large animals was fraught with difficulties. Therefore, we enlisted the help of a local leather company with ties in the region and a trusted animal importer.
Read article here World.
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Thanks, Frank
My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with That Pet Place welcomes Zoologist/Herpetologist Frank Indiviglio to That Reptile Blog | That Reptile Blog
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[Deac77]

Me and my mate keep and breed retics we have a 16foot female now that's the largest but she'll lose that title soon to a new 17foot girlie

[Striped marsh]

That is a huge snake, the biggest snake i have seen owned by anyone was a 6.5m Olive python and i thought that was big, well i guess it still is though , Good story once again findviglio

[findiviglio]

Thanks for your note, much appreciated. Yes, that is a big snake! And in my experience, olive pythons and some other Australians, i.e. Amethystines, are stronger (as in "grip") than most others, pound for pound. I've also had male Amethystines fight (a fatality in one case) and have a few similar reports from others, Best, Frank

[Striped marsh]

yeah they are very strong animals i wouldn't like to be in a strangle hold.

[Deac77]

Mines a sweet heart!