Check Out This Freakish Snake!
You have got to be kidding me. Check out the picture there. Larger version here. Yep, that's just a terrifying serpent of nightmare-inducing length.
"The Cajun Boy" who posted the picture says it's the result of the Mississippi River being more swollen than it's been in decades. The Army Corps of Engineers, aiming to prevent flooding in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, has opened a couple of floodgates thereby diverting waters to the swamps of rural South Louisiana.
"And now it appears as though we’ve had the first sighting of something crawling out of the swamp that is positively freakish," The Cajun Boy writes.
I'll say. This snake was supposedly just out for a slither on the Morganza spillway. What is it? Why wasn't I told that the United States had snakes this long? And can this snake travel to Virginia? Please tell me no.
UPDATE: This image was uploaded a few days ago by someone claiming it was found in Australia. I'm now just hoping it's a complete Photoshop.
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May '10
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
There is a definite danger of such snakes being seen in Virginia. I fact, I can reliably predict a correlation between appearances of snakes this size and computers with Photoshop installed.
Apr '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
That is one huge honking snake. I'm hoping it's photoshopped. We have swamps here in Jersey but the only thing that comes slithering out of them resemble Tony Soprano.
Jan '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
Mollie,
There's now a post at your bigger-shot link saying that this is an Australian snake photographed in Australia. . .still, pretty unnerving!
Apr '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
Australia, huh? Please tell me the snake can't swim the Pacific...
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
MLH: Mollie,
There's now a post at your bigger-shot link saying that this is an Australian snake photographed in Australia. . .still, pretty unnerving! · May 17 at 7:15am
Thank God. I know to avoid Australia at all costs and can safely return outside!
Jan '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
It doesn't need to swim. It can just reach across.
Feb '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
The photo appears to be a hoax. The head is much too large in proportion to the body. The body is much too thin for the length. One observer noted that the vegetation is questionable for the alleged site of the photo.
The Indian Python (Python molurus ssp.) and the Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor) have become established in the Florida everglades which have long served as a dumping ground for 'pets' that grew too large for their owner's convenience. There may also be a small established population of African Rock Pythons (Python sebae), but there is some dispute on this point. All these species are tropical and have no cold weather or frost tolerance. Contrary to hysterical news reports, they have not, and can not, establish themselves further north. It may be theoretically possible for individuals to survive in extreme southern Louisiana, but they aren't going to move north. Unless you are an Al Gore acolyte (I am not), you can sleep soundly. There is no chance of their ever becoming established in Virginia.
Edited on May 17, 2011 at 7:55amFeb '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
MLH: Mollie,
There's now a post at your bigger-shot link saying that this is an Australian snake photographed in Australia. . .still, pretty unnerving! · May 17 at 7:15am
If it was taken in Australia, it could possibly be the Diamond Python (Morelia spilota ssp.). The size, attitude and body characteristics still suggest Python photoshopus.
I started college intending to major in zoology. I soon came to my senses (career wise) but never lost my interest in herpetology. I maintained a collection of up to 38 species (mostly venomous, but also a couple of boas and pythons in the early years) that put most zoo collections to shame. I called it quits a few years back after more than forty years. This is one subject I really do know something about.
Jan '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
Call that a snake? I've seen a water moccasin that long and much bigger around being extricated from one of the water lily ponds in Mayfield Park. My now-grown children still recall that occasion as the Best. Park. Visit. Ever!
I hope this information won't cause Mollie to avoid Texas from now on.
Feb '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
That snake is headed for the airport to get on a plane and star in a sequel.
May '10
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
You miss the point. These creatures will be on every main street in America if we don't combat global warming. Halt all industry and travel now.
Oct '10
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
Back in the '60s, while driving a jungle road in the country of Trinidad, I was startled to see a python crossing the road. It's head was entering the foliage to my left, and it's back end still hadn't cleared the foliage on the right. We later measured at that location. That road was 22 feet in width.
Feb '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
Margaret Ball: Call that a snake? I've seen a water moccasin that long and much bigger around being extricated from one of the water lily ponds in Mayfield Park. My now-grown children still recall that occasion as the Best. Park. Visit. Ever!
I hope this information won't cause Mollie to avoid Texas from now on. · May 17 at 8:23am
Ah, that Texas hyperbole. Works great on easterners. Not so well on native Texans.
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
I think we need to hear from Midget Faded Rattlesnake. Where is she?
May '10
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
"Dinner, Nagini"
As a proud Slytherin (like Midge), this makes me happy. Though somewhat alarmed that this title was the battle-cry of DSK.
May '10
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
It may be a python, it may be a water-mocassin but it's of the genus Photoshop.
Feb '11
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
Claire Berlinski, Ed.:
I think we need to hear from Midget Faded Rattlesnake. Where is she?
MFR may not be aware of it, but the Midget Faded Rattlesnake, though small and faded and generally unimpressive by rattlesnake standards, did have fifteen minutes of fame.
Back in the '60s, the Staten Island Zoo was world famous for it's reptile collection specializing in rattlesnakes. Carl F Kauffeld, the curator of reptiles (and later also director of the zoo) was trying to complete a collection of all 32 of the then recognized US rattlesnake species. Needless to say, the Midget Faded was the stubbornly elusive 32nd. After futile attempts to collect one on his own, Kauffeld finally received a specimen from, if I recall correctly, a Utah herpetologist. The zoo thus became the only institution ever to exhibit simultaneously the complete series, a feat not likely to be repeated for reason too numerous to go into here. The Midget Faded was featured on the cover of the zoo's monthly bulletin and received some mention in the NY press. I still have the ecstatic letter Kauffeld sent me announcing the acquisition.
Edited on May 17, 2011 at 9:37amAug '10
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
That photo has Photoshop (actually, probably GIMP) written all over it.
Snakes that long also happen to be very wide. To move a body that long, a snake requires way more muscle mass than what is depicted in the photo.
On the other hand, according to one source on-line, it's an Australian King Brown Snake. According to Wikipedia, King Brown Snakes can grow up to 3 metres in length (9.8 feet).
It's almost impossible to judge the scale in that photo, but the snake depicted seems longer than 3 metres to me.
Aug '10
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
Before Katrina I used to visit New Orleans occasionally. After drenching storms it wasn't uncommon to find alligators coming out of storm drains in the suburbs, like Metarie, near Lake Pontchartrain. They usually crawled back the other way, but sometimes would snag a toddler if the parents weren't near.
So the photo may not be photoshopped. But it is a humungous snake.
May '10
Re: Check Out This Freakish Snake!
It's just a wee beastie...
No of course snakes cannot swim that far, but there is a report of Salt Water crocodiles swimming all the way to the cold waters of the Sea of Japan.
After Australia inadvertently exported Red Back Spiders (a type of Black Widow) to New Zealand; I would be more concerned about Funnel Web Spiders making their way to continental US. Before the invention in 1981 of an anti-venom, significant injury and death by these commonly found spiders was well-known.
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2008/02/27/2174481.htm
Edited on May 17, 2011 at 11:10am