This Snake Is Probably Longer Than Your Apartment

I'm going to cut to the chase — this is a giant snake story. Ophidiophobes turn back, lest you faint where you sit. A researcher stumbled across an 18-foot-long python in Everglades National Park in Florida during a leisurely stroll through its verdant, apparently reptile-infested fields. The Burmese python might actually only be the second-largest python discovered in the state of Florida, which makes me wonder, How often does this happen, dear God? In case you're having trouble picturing what an 18-foot-long python might look like, I've provided a visual comparison below.

The monster python was first spotted by a permitted researcher on July 9, when he was walking along the Shark Valley tram road in Everglades National Park. Its exact measurements were 18 feet and three inches, just inches shy of taking the title away from the longest python ever found in the Everglades, which was 18 feet and seven inches. However, at 133 pounds, it's five pounds heavier than any previous snake found and recorded in Florida.

Because the python is considered an invasive species, it was humanely euthanized. Pythons have bred and multiplied in Florida since being introduced through the international pet trade decades ago, and there is now an estimated population of 100,000 in the state. As relieving as it must be for Florida residents to know that there's one fewer giant python that could slither into their homes at night, couldn't they have just sent it to some nice snake sanctuary somewhere?

According to National Geographic, Burmese pythons are threatened, despite their gargantuan size and lack of natural predators. Speaking of size, the pythons can reach as long as 20 feet and weigh up to 200 pounds, with the thickness of a telephone pole. So basically, the one they just found this month is relatively puny. At their size, they're capable of swallowing large prey, such as deer or even alligators, according to U.S. Geological Survey officials.

But scientific facts don't really hammer home just how massive these creatures are, so here's a comparison guide, using completely non-scientific units of measurement.

An 18-Foot-Long Python Is The Same Length Or Longer Than:

• A minivan
• A killer whale
• A New York City apartment
• A sailboat
• A king-sized bed
• A bar counter
• The line at Chipotle during off-peak hours
• Three Ryan Goslings
• Almost four Snookis

A 133-Pound Python Weighs The Same Or More Than:

• A baby hippo
• A recliner
• Cara Delevingne
• In fact, most models
• A toilet
• A Great Dane
• A baby horse

Images: Fotolia, Getty Images (2)