‘A monster.’ Discovery of snake nearly 8 feet long is cheered in Georgia. Here’s why

A huge indigo snake found in Georgia is impressive, experts say, even for a species known for surprising length.

The 7-foot, 7-inch beast was found at Fort Stewart, in eastern Georgia, and a photo shared on Facebook shows the snake resembles a black garden hose.

Indigo snakes typically get 5 to 7 feet in length, according to the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.

“Indigo snakes are the longest (native) snake in the US, but this is still a noteworthy size,” the Georgia Southern University Department of Biology wrote Feb. 17 on Facebook.

“It is apparently the longest indigo snake measured in Georgia in recent years. ... The eastern indigo snake is undoubtedly one of the most magnificent animals in our region.”

An alumnus of the university, Dee Mincey, is a wildlife biologist and was involved in the discovery, university officials said. The exact date and place of the find was not released.

Records show the biggest indigo snake ever found in the country “was 9.2 feet and the heaviest was more than 10 pounds,” according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

However, impressive lengths for indigo snakes are increasingly rare “due to habitat loss and persecution by humans,” Georgia Southern University noted.

The nonvenomous species has been eradicated in Mississippi and Alabama and only “survives in peninsular Florida and southeast Georgia,” according to a report published by the Environmental Institute at Auburn University. A project to reintroduce indigo snakes to Alabama is in progress, Georgia Southern University says.

Though not venomous, indigo snakes do bite and are even known to bite each other, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says.

News that a 7-foot-7 indigo was found is being celebrated on Facebook by the North American Field Herping Association, with commenters marveling at its length and begging for the exact location to be kept secret.

“Glad to realize some of these huge snakes are still out there,” Tim Brophy posted on the association’s Facebook page.

“Wow a monster,” Brian Stertz wrote in admiration.

“Not saying I wouldn’t initially (soil) my pants to walk up on this dude in the woods, but what a gorgeous snake,” Christine Hunt said.

This story was originally published February 20, 2022 at 9:31 AM with the headline "‘A monster.’ Discovery of snake nearly 8 feet long is cheered in Georgia. Here’s why."