Vasuki Naag was real? Meet the giant ancient snake from Gujarat that was as long as a railway coach or a cricket pitch

A prehistoric snake, estimated to be between 10.9 meters (36 feet) and 15.2 meters (50 feet) in length, lived in what is now India about 47 million years ago, according to a study published last year. Named Vasuki indicus, the extinct species may have been among the largest snakes in history, surpassing present-day anacondas and pythons. The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Fossil analysis reveals a massive reptile

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee analyzed 27 fossilised vertebrae uncovered in 2005 at a coal mine in Gujarat. Initially believed to belong to an ancient crocodile-like species, the fossils were later identified as belonging to a massive snake.

The vertebrae suggested the snake had a broad and cylindrical body. Although its full skeleton was not found, estimates place Vasuki indicus among the largest known snake species, alongside Titanoboa, a 13-meter (42.7-foot) extinct snake from Colombia.

Climate’s role in snake size

The researchers noted that snakes, being cold-blooded, rely on environmental temperatures for their metabolism. The warm tropical climate of the era, with an estimated mean annual temperature of 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit), may have contributed to the snake’s massive growth.

“Their internal body temperature fluctuates with the ambient temperature of the environment,” the authors said. “So, higher ambient temperatures would have increased the internal body temperature and metabolic rate of Vasuki, which in turn would have allowed it to grow so large.”

Predatory habits and environment

The study suggests that Vasuki indicus was a land-dwelling ambush predator, likely using constriction to subdue prey. The fossils were found in rock layers associated with ray fish, catfish, turtles, crocodilians, and primitive whales.

“We cannot say precisely what sort of animals Vasuki ate,” the researchers stated. “Associated fossils collected from the rocks that yielded Vasuki include ray fish, bony fish (catfish), turtles, crocodilians and even primitive whales. Vasuki may have preyed upon some of these.”

The discovery adds valuable insight into prehistoric reptilian life and the impact of climate on species size.