A snake in southwest Indonesia has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest snake ever seen in the wild. The giant female reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) found in late 2025 is 23 feet and 8 inches long from head to tail. That’s about the same length as a regulation football goal. People call her ‘Ibu Baron’ (the Baroness). That is 10 inches longer than the last record which was set by another female reticulated python from Borneo in 1999. That being said, the herpetologists on site thought that her length might actually be longer.
Earlier this year, the official world record was confirmed in Maros
Earlier this year, the official world record was confirmed in Maros, which is in the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi. A group of experts, including local conservationist Budi Purwanto, snake handler Diaz Nugraha, and photographer Radu Frentiu, were in charge of measuring and recording the reptile. After hearing about the reptile’s existence from a mutual friend, they knew they had to act quickly. People in the area often kill reticulated pythons that are much shorter than the Baroness when they see them because they are a danger to pets, livestock, children, and even some fully grown adults.
The team was lucky to find the new record holder safe and sound
The team was lucky to find the new record holder safe and sound. Some volunteers helped the group confirm her length, but they said her size might be an understatement. The Baroness was measured while she was fully awake and not under any drugs. When snakes are sedated, their muscles relax and they can grow by up to 10%. This means that she could be 26 feet long. But the conservationists didn’t want to put her in danger for no reason because the procedure is risky by nature.
After that, it was time to weigh in
After that, it was time to weigh in According to the most recent Guinness World Record announcement, that’s about the same size as a full grown giant panda. There is also no way that the Baroness isn’t sometimes heavier than that, since she hadn’t eaten in a while when she weighed in.
Reticulated pythons aren’t poisonous, but they are still very dangerous Its muscles are so strong that they can squeeze and choke their prey, which is why it is so heavy.
Frentiu said in a statement, “Every coil of muscle is a powerhouse on that snake, and it seemed to work on its own.” “So, the most impressive thing about this snake is its strength and the fact that it can grow to the size of a cow when it eats big prey, which is almost impossible for most people to understand.”
Even though snakes and pythons don’t usually like crowded places they are becoming more common in places like Indonesia. As habitats are destroyed, the numbers of common prey like wild pigs and cattle are going down. At the same time, python poaching is still a problem.
Frentiu went on to say, “We hope that pythons and other big snakes will no longer be seen as pests, but as a symbol of the islands and important animals for the ecosystem.”
But the Baroness probably won’t have to worry about any of that now. She is the newest long term resident on conservationist Purwanto’s estate, along with a number of other snakes that were rescued from similar situations.
