A giant female reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) discovered deep in the forests of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi late last year is now believed to be the longest measured snake in the world at 7.22 metres (23 feet 8 inches), the Guinness Book of World Records has confirmed.
Named Ibu Baron or ‘The Baroness’, the female snake would incredibly occupy the entire width of a standard FIFA goal post, a post on the Guinness Book of World Records’ website noted.
The snake could also be said to be around the length of six-and-a-half shopping carts/trolleys in a row.
“Under anaesthesia, when snakes’ bodies fully relax, she could be at least 10% longer — so in reality her true length is likely nearer 7.9 m (26 ft). But owing to the inherent risks of anaesthetic, GWR believes that animals should only ever be “put under” for safety reasons or necessary medical procedures, so this has not been put to the test,” the article noted.
The article credited local Indonesian conservationist Budi Purwanto for initially saving the animal.
“Ibu Baron almost certainly owes her life to Purwanto, who acted quickly when news of her discovery emerged in December 2025 to acquire her from those that found her, ensuring that she came to no harm,” it noted.
Ibu Baron was assessed and measured by two people-Diaz Nugraha — a wildlife guide, rescuer and licensed snake handler from Kalimantan, Borneo, along with Radu Frentiu — an explorer and natural-history photographer who has resided in Bali for two decades.
“A mutual associate of Frentiu’s and GWR’s — George Beccaloni, Director of the Wallace Correspondence Project — helped to relay details of the discovery,” the piece noted.
Both Nugraha and Frentiu had heard rumors of a supersized snake and decided to go to Sulawesi to see it for themselves.
The location where Ibu Baron was found is the Maros County of Sulawesi.
Reticulated pythons are on record to have killed humans by constriction and swallowed them whole.
In mid-2024, the province of South Sulawesi in Indonesia recorded two such cases where two women were killed and swallowed by reticulated pythons, the longest and third-heaviest snakes in the world.
There were three other cases before these two, where photographic and videographic proof exists of these pythons preying on and killing humans.