Indonesian villagers claim to have captured a python that is almost 15m long and weighs nearly 450kg, a local official said on Monday.
If confirmed, it will be the largest snake to date kept in captivity.
Hundreds of people have flocked to see the snake at a primitive zoo in Curugsewu village on the country’s main island of Java, Republika daily reported. It splashed two large pictures of the reptile across its back page.
Local government official Rachmat said the reticulated python measures 14,85m and weighs in at 447kg.
The Guinness Book of World Records lists the longest snake captured to date to be 9,75m. The heaviest — a Burmese python kept in Gurnee, Illinois — weighs 182,76kg, the book said on its website.
Republika said the snake, which was caught last year but only recently put on public display, eats three or four dogs a month.
Reticulated pythons are the world’s longest snakes. They are capable of eating animals as large as sheep, and have been known to attack and consume humans.
The species is native to the swamps and jungles of southeast Asia. — Sapa-AP
On the net: www.guinnessworldrecords.com