May 24, 2011
I received a letter this week from Hickory Hill Elementary School in Papillion, Nebraska. The third graders are asking a very good question, and I thought other readers might be interested in this, too.
Dear Mr. Simon,
My third graders just finished reading the book Giant Snakes in a guided reading group and they had a question regarding the book. On page 16 it states, "Anacondas are the largest snakes on the world" and then on page 19 it says, "The Reticulated Pythons of Southeast Asia are the longest snake in the world." They are curious as to which one really is the biggest snake?
We really appreciate your books and love the pictures! Thanks in advance for your help with our question!
Hello, Third Graders! Good question. Anacondas are generally the largest (meaning heavier and wider, foot for foot) than pythons. But the Reticulated Pythons are the generally the longest (but not the biggest or largest) snakes in the world. So it all depends upon what you mean by big.
To give you an idea of just how long these snakes are, look at this photograph of kindergartner Faith Hackett holding the head of a Burmese python at Wildwood Park and Zoo in Marshfield, Wis., during a presentation on rescued exotic animals.
Thanks for writing, and happy reading!
Photo: Dan Young / Marshfield News-Herald via AP
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Posted by: Seymour Simon
