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ClemRutter (talk | contribs) →Python reticulatus length: WP can't ignore it so how should we phrase it |
BarrelProof (talk | contribs) →Python reticulatus length: Reply |
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:::''There are regular claims in the media that the RP is the worlds longest snake, for instance in April 2016, a python captured on the island of Penang in Malaysia was measured at 26.2 feet long (8 metres).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/11/python-captured-in-malaysia-believed-to-be-worlds-longest-snake/|title=Python Captured in Malaysia Believed to be World's Longest Snake|website=The Telegraph|date=April 11, 2016|accessdate=April 11, 2016}}</ref> However, it died three days after capture while laying an egg.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/931001/huge-malaysian-python-dies-after-laying-egg|title=Huge Malaysian Python Dies After Laying an Egg|website=Bangkok Post|date=April 12, 2016|accessdate=April 12, 2016}}</ref>. These reports are sensational rather than reliable, the ''Telegraph'' article refers to "initial estimates" of length and "estimated" weight, while the Bangkok Post article relies on the reports from civil defence officials rather than a herpetologist'' and then go on to reinforce the point about reliability. [[User:ClemRutter|ClemRutter]] ([[User talk:ClemRutter|talk]]) 21:07, 13 April 2016 (UTC)
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::::I think that since Wikipedia is [[WP:NOTNEWS]], we don't need to put something in the article just because some new vague, brief, and unreliable report showed up in recent news. The article already says that numerous unproven and unreliable reports of especially large specimens have been made. Also, a [http://www.canada.com/news/world/98snakes+drop+dead+malaysia+says+captured+eight+foot+python/11846684/story.html more recent report] has appeared in which it was reported that when the unfortunate snake's dead body was measured, it was only 7.5 metres long, whereas "Medusa" is reported as being 7.6 m long (specifically, {{convert|17|cm|in|abbr=off}} longer), and thus there is no longer a claim that the Malaysian snake was the world's longest. Further straining the credibility of the government spokesperson, we also now have this tidbit: {{"'}}Maybe she committed suicide', Mustapha said. 'Maybe she felt threatened so she killed herself.{{'"}} Snakes, of course, do not commit suicide (as is pointed out in that report). So although it now seems clear that the idea of this snake being a record-holder in length has been withdrawn, I still have my doubts that even the more recently reported shorter length is accurate. Apparently, no actual credible expert has still had access to the now-dead animal. —[[User:BarrelProof|BarrelProof]] ([[User talk:BarrelProof|talk]]) 16:38, 14 April 2016 (UTC)
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