Snake fossil found!
Scientists discovered the fossils of a huge snake that went extinct millions of years ago in Gujarat.
They believe the snake was 15 meters long, even though only a few remains were found. A cricket pitch is 20 metres long. So imagine the snake stretching almost the whole length of the pitch!
The snake species has been named Vasuki indicus. If it were still living today, the Vasuki indicus would be like a monster straight out of the movies!
The largest snake in history?
Titanoboa is considered to be the largest snake that ever lived. It used to be up to 13 metres long.
But, the discovery of the Vasuki indicus fossil could make it the largest snake in history. Still, more research is needed to confirm this.
The largest snake alive today is Asia's reticulated python, which can be up to 10 metres long.
Importance of finding and studying fossils.
Fossils can teach us about the Earth’s history. They help us understand how life began on Earth, how the earlier times were, how the Earth and its climate changed over time, etc.
Fossils are also studied to find out why and how some types of plants and animals (like dinosaurs!) stopped existing. This can help scientists develop modern conservation methods.
