Titanoboa

extinct snake · giant animal · paleocene · colombia

Absolutely enormous snake. Titanoboa was the largest snake ever discovered, living during the Paleocene epoch about 60 million years ago when the world was much warmer and wetter.

Found in a coal mine. Scientists discovered 186 Titanoboa fossils in the Cerrejón coal mines in Colombia starting in the early 2000s, making it one of the most complete ancient snake discoveries ever made.

Pieced together from bones. Researchers first found thoracic vertebrae and ribs, then later discovered parts of its skull and teeth, helping them understand what this massive snake looked like.

Lived in a rainforest. Titanoboa slithered through tropical swamps and forests in what is now Colombia, hunting fish and other animals in a climate much hotter than today.

Longer than a car. This giant boid snake was about 42 feet long (similar in size to a school bus), making it one of the most impressive predators of its time.