World's 'Longest Snake' Comes Up Short

Yahoo/Reuters ^ | January 7, 2004 | UNK

[where's_the_Outrage?]

KENDAL, Indonesia (Reuters) - It's still a big snake, just not a record-breaker.

When a recreation park in Indonesia put a huge reticulated python on show last week, keepers insisted to reporters it was 49 feet long. That made it the longest ever caught.

But amid growing skepticism of the claim, a photographer working for Reuters returned to the Curugsewu park in the small central Java town of Kendal Wednesday with a measuring tape. The snake's true length -- around 21 feet

"I have no idea why the snake has shrunk," said one keeper when asked about the discrepancy, as the snake lounged on a tree branch inside its cage.

According to the Guinness World Records, the longest discovered snake was also a reticulated python from Indonesia. It was 33 feet long when found in Sulawesi island in 1912.

In 2002, Samantha, a 25-foot snake which was dubbed the largest in captivity, died in the Bronx Zoo in New York. Samantha came from Indonesia's side of Borneo island.

Record-breaking or not, word of the huge snake in Kendal has spread, tripling the number of visitors to the state-run park, normally known just for its scenery and waterfalls.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

It looked big in the picture, must have initially used a female provided guesstimated length.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1049382/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1048234/posts

[11th Earl of Mar]

They finally admitted the snake was the second largest, after I told them I had the winning lottery ticket.

[commish]

Thats some serious shrinkage. Must have been very cold out when the rueters guy measured it, either that or the snake had just looked at Helen Thomas.

[Slings and Arrows]

Is anyone surprised that a man would lie about the size of his snake?

[11th Earl of Mar]

Jerry: "Do women know about shrinkage?"

Elaine: "It shrinks?"

Jerry: "Yes. Like a freightened turtle."

[xsrdx]

keepers insisted to reporters it was 49 feet long

It was 49ft, if your feet are only 5.14" long.

[Bon mots]

LOL

[ken5050]

Remember the old jokes?

Q: Why are women so lousy at math?
A: (holding fingers about 2" apart)...because all their lives they've been told THIS is 6"....

Q: What's white AND 9" long?
A: Nothing..

[evets]

But it still weighed 999 lbs., right?!? Jah, mon. Rasta Ghanja!

[Slings and Arrows]

That keeper should watch out - reticulated pythons are notoriously cranky. I once saw a retic' at a herp show that was wrapped around the waists of three men simultaneously. The audience was amazed...that the snake wasn't striking at anyone's face.

[nothingnew]

They must'a put the snake on the Atkins' Diet.

FMCDH

[fso301]

[Spok]

"I have no idea why the snake has shrunk," said one keeper

Baghdad Bob???

[MEGoody]

"must have initially used a female provided guesstimated length."

Nah, it was probably a guy, and he thought they were asking the length of his. . .

:::ahem:::

[evets]

It looked a lot bigger when we caught it...

[telone2]

Looks like E.D. has more than her hands full!

[kentuckyusa]

In 2002, Samantha, a 25-foot snake which was dubbed the largest in captivity, died

Good snake.

[kentuckyusa]

At times, it is best to leave one's comments in ones head, but, I have always ehard that snaakes like dark, damp, warm places.

[Paleo Conservative]

ROTFLMAO!