Deep in the South American jungle, the largest prehistoric snake once lurked and stalked its prey. Meet Titanoboa – the biggest snake that ever lived on this planet. The Titanoboa snake thrived some five million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs and is a creature we can hardly imagine today. The world is a home to many weird animals, but this one will surprise you with its size and appearance.
Let’s take a look at this monstrous snake that once lived on Earth.
What is the Titanoboa Size?
As already mentioned the Titanoboa snake was the biggest lizard that has ever lived. It grew up to 50 feet in length and weighed around 2,500 pounds – that is twice as heavy as a polar bear. The snake had brown skin which camouflaged it perfectly in the humid jungle. It lurked in the shallows and ambushed unsuspecting animals.
How was Titanoboa Discovered?
The largest snake on Earth is a recent discovery made in 2002. Until that point, the largest snake fossil ever found was that of Gigantophis, which lived 20 million years ago in Africa.
Everything started with a student who discovered a fossil leaf in a mine in Colombia. It suggested that this place was once a rainforest. Later on, more and more fossils appeared – giant turtles, crocodiles, tropical plants and the largest vertebrae ever found. Scientists believed it belonged to Titanoboa. The snake was massive and there was no doubt it was the king of the jungle.
The largest snake species today is the giant anaconda which is about one-third of the size of an average Titanoboa. The contemporary monster snakes are terrifying but are a pale comparison to their long-dead relative from the South American jungle.
What Did Titanboa Eat?
Titanoboa ate other animals from the jungle. It was a carnivore which means it ate mainly meat and left leaves, roots and stems out of its diet. It would even eat other snakes, crocodiles and large lizards lurking around. No animal had a chance when this giant snake stroke. It ate its prey whole. Titanoboa ate very little and would not eat for long periods after each meal.
Why is it called Titanoboa?
Titanoboa comes from titanic boa and the name was given because of the large size of the prehistoric lizard. When scientists found the fossils and vertebrae of this giant they realized it was much bigger than anything they have seen so far, that’s why they gave it this name.
The jungles of South America are the perfect place to encounter some of the largest and most dangerous snakes in the world. No surprise that the giant Titanboa lived there millions of years ago. Nowadays, we can only see fossils and wonder what the largest snake on the planet might have looked like.
