Some ‘Giant’ Snakes Eat People — Here’s How and Why

The risk of a snake targeting a human (as food) is almost non-existent. Even larger snakes, such as pythons and anacondas, feed primarily on rodents, birds, and other small to medium-sized mammals. However, in some scenarios, they prey on humans—behavior that occurs when the snake mistakes a person for its usual prey or finds itself in unusual circumstances where food is scarce.

Here are two snake species with confirmed cases of man-eating behavior. While these cases are rare and often result from human encroachment on natural habitats, they serve as a sobering reminder of just how fearsome these predators can be.

1. The reticulated Python (Malaiopython reticulate)

One of the most notorious and well-documented cases of a man-eating snake occurred in Indonesia in June 2024, when a woman was found inside a 16-foot-long reticulated python. The victim, a mother of four, had been reported missing and her body was recovered after she bit the snake.

It was the fifth such incident of a python devouring a person in the country since 2017, with this most recent incident unfolding in Kalempang village in South Sulawesi province. In 2023, residents in South Sulwesi’s Tinanggea district had to kill an eight-meter (26-foot) python that was found strangling and eating one of the village’s farmers.

The reticulated python is the longest snake in the world, with individuals recorded reaching 30 feet in length. Native to Southeast Asia, they thrive in rainforests, grasslands and mangrove swamps, often near or in direct contact with human settlements.

Known for their beautifully patterned scales and incredible gripping power, they primarily hunt birds, small mammals and other reptiles. However, horrific cases such as those described above do occur and speak to the danger this massive species poses in areas where our interactions with them are becoming more and more unavoidable.

Research into the feeding behavior of reticulated pythons has revealed that they can consume meals weighing up to half their body weight. In June 2005 article in The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology cases of these pythons attacking and eating Malayan sun bears have been documented, highlighting their ability to prey on large animals.

Their flexible jaws and ability to stretch the stomach and intestines allow them to swallow large animals and occasionally humans.

2. The African Rock Python (Python sebae and Python natalensis)

In 2002, headlines were made when a 10-year-old boy in Durban, South Africa was killed and swallowed by an African rock python. It was the first recorded incident of “man-eating” for this species.

Other children who were with the victim saw the terrifying scene unfold from the mango trees where they were hiding, as the snake snared the boy, strangled him and swallowed him whole.

Herpetologists suspect that the python had just woken up from its winter hibernation and was looking for prey when the victim, unfortunately, wandered into its path.

Another tragic incident took place in Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada, in 2013, when two young boys aged 4 and 6 were killed by an African rock python while sleeping in an apartment above their father’s pet store.

The African rock python, native to sub-Saharan Africa, it can grow over 20 feet in length, according to a 2009 US Geological Survey report. Its upper and lower jaws are connected by elastic ligaments, which allows it to swallow animals larger than itself. In the wild, it has been documented to prey on animals as large as antelopes and crocodiles.

Like their Southeast Asian relatives, they kill by strangulation, suffocating the animal before swallowing. It is hypothesized that these pythons, like other large constrictors, do not differentiate between prey types when a target has been subdued, leading to such rare attacks on humans.

It’s not just the snakes that are to blame

While stories of man-eating snakes are often exaggerated in the popular media, there have been verified reports of clampers such as the reticulated python and the African rock python preying on humans.

These rare occurrences occur due to a combination of human encroachment, habitat loss and the opportunistic feeding behavior of these powerful snakes. In almost all cases, these snakes do not actively seek people, but come into conflict with them due to proximity and circumstances.

Far from being mischievous, snakes play an important role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. How do you feel about your role in maintaining that balance? Take this test to find out: Connectedness to Nature Scale