What is the strongest snake in the world?
According to a recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, researchers David A. Penning and Brad R. Moon measured how strong constrictor snakes are. They tested 6 different species of snake and found that although all six species had similar muscle structures, the kingsnakes exerted more force. They reported, “kingsnakes exerted significantly higher pressures on their prey than ratsnakes.” The six snakes that were in the study include:
California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae)Common Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula) Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki)Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis)Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) Black Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus)
Our list will definitely include some of the kingsnakes from the study as well as some larger constrictor snakes that have proven to be some of the strongest snakes in the world.
Common Kingsnake
The common kingsnake is one tough animal. Sometimes called the Eastern kingsnake, they are not afraid to take on larger snakes or venomous snakes! They are shiny black snakes with yellow to white bands mixed with speckles. The researchers found that these snakes are the strongest snakes compared with the ratsnakes because the force at which they are able to squeeze and hold onto their prey is so strong. It was once thought that constrictor snakes squeezed their prey to prevent them from breathing, but it has been found that they restrict the blood flow, causing a quicker death. The Common Kingsnake can get to be 3-5 feet long but will often kill snakes that are even longer. They will kill and eat cottonmouths, copperheads, and rattlesnakes. Kingsnakes are immune to the venom of these snakes.
California Kingsnake
The California Kingsnake is a black and white snake with alternating bands. They can be found in California and along the west coast states down to Mexico. Most are about 3 ½ feet long, but some can get to be 5 feet or more. They are frequently found in deserts, forests, and grasslands but are also kept as pets (if you’re into snakes). Besides other snakes, they will eat rodents, turtles, and lizards. They wrap their strong bodies around their prey and then swallow them whole.
Speckled Kingsnake
The speckled kingsnake is another species of super strong constrictor snake. As their name suggests, they have a speckled appearance and are black with yellow to cream speckles and bars along their backs. They get to be around 4 feet long and weigh 3-5 pounds. This species can be found in the Midwest, from Iowa to Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and parts of Texas. Compared to the common kingsnakes, the speckled ones prefer to stay on the ground and are not good at climbing trees. This makes it easier for them to find and kill other snakes (including venomous ones), frogs, lizards, and rodents.
Eastern Ratsnake
The Eastern ratsnake is not as strong as the kingsnakes, but they are still powerful constrictors. The Eastern ratsnake is larger than the kingsnake, but kingsnakes can kill and eat ratsnakes. A quick internet search will pull up some interesting videos of just such an act. The Eastern ratsnake, sometimes called the chicken snake because they are known to swallow chicken eggs whole, is another fun internet search! Eastern ratsnakes can get to be 7 feet long and are all black or dark gray in color. Their bellies are cream-colored. This species can be found along the Eastern Coast of the US. Ratsnakes, in general, are located all over the world except Antarctica.
Boa Constrictor
With the word “constrictor” in its name, you know these snakes mean business. They are some of the strongest snakes in the world and are significantly larger than kingsnakes. Kingsnakes may pick fights with larger snakes, but they can’t mess with a full-grown boa constrictor. Boa constrictors are thick-bodied snakes with an average weight of 20-30 pounds, but some reportedly get to be 100 pounds. They are an average of 8-10 feet, with some reaching 12 feet or more. The longest boa constrictor ever caught was an 18-footer! Boas can wrap their strong bodies around small mammals like squirrels, opossums, and rabbits. A large rabbit dinner can be enough food for a month as the snake slowly digests the whole rabbit over time, regurgitating some of the bones and fur.
Burmese Python
Bigger than a boa, the Burmese python can grow to 200 pounds! They are huge a thick-bodied snake that is 18-20 feet long, with some being longer. They are native to Asia, India, China, and Vietnam, but they have also been introduced to the southern tip of Florida, and several breeding populations live there… causing trouble. These strong snakes can take down even larger prey and have wiped out the rabbit population in the Everglades, as well as killing almost all of the raccoons, opossums, and bobcats. An adult bobcat can get to be 40 pounds, and Burmese pythons are strong enough to kill them!
Green Anaconda
The Green Anaconda is the largest snake in the world! It is just a tad bigger than the Python and is certainly one of the strongest snakes. Green Anacondas can get to be 20-30 feet long and weigh as much as 550 pounds! Amazing! They are not native to the United States but live in Central America. They are olive green in color with black splotches all over. The largest and maybe strongest anaconda ever was a 33-foot-long, 850 pound that surprised a construction crew in Brazil.
African Rock Python
A snake that is strong enough to capture and eat a 150-pound hyena has to be one of the strongest snakes in the world. National Geographic was there to videotape this amazing feat. African rock pythons are typically 10-16 feet long and weigh an average of 70-120 pounds, with some getting to 200 pounds. You might be surprised by how quickly these large muscular snakes wrap themselves around their prey and squeeze with enormous force. Imagine how long a 150-pound dinner will last, maybe months before he needs to eat again!
Summary of 8 of the Strongest Snakes in the World
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The 12 Largest Venomous Snakes in the WorldTop 10 Smallest Snakes in the World11 Cutest Snakes in the World
