Officials dismiss Yathrib ‘giant snake’ claims as residents voice fears

SALAH AL-DIN — Residents and farmers in the Al-Ajeeliya area of Yathrib say they have seen a snake up to 10 meters long, sparking alarm and leading families to clear land and avoid going out at night. But local officials and experts say the claims are exaggerated and scientifically impossible in Iraq.

“Since more than 25 years the snake has been in the area, and I saw it in 2012,” resident Rabah Khalaf told 964media. “Recently my nephew saw it while driving, filmed it, and estimated its length at 8 to 10 meters. He left the area with his family out of fear. The snake is very large and terrified the whole region. We even cleared nearby lands with the Popular Mobilization Forces but found nothing. We expect it is hiding in reeds and drainage canals searching for cool places. We ask for attention to the area because it poses danger to families, and I confirm its size is very large.”

Another resident, Umm Ghazal, said she saw the snake while grazing animals in 2020. “It had a big head and body. We ask the authorities to remove it from the area because it threatens children and residents. Al-Ajeeliya is now in a state of alert, and people do not go out at night. We call for clearing the canals and reeds to clean the area.”

A video shared on social media claiming to show the snake fueled fears, though farmers who plowed their fields to locate it found nothing.

Harith Abdulnabi, director of Yathrib subdistrict, urged caution. “Social media circulated reports of a giant snake in Al-Ajeeliya without conclusive evidence of its size. According to specialists, its length does not exceed 160 centimeters. A snake of such large size cannot live in this environment, which does not support it in terms of food and climate,” he said. “The area has rubble and canals where snakes can exist, and it requires continuous clearing. We urge residents to notify us if they see it so we can take proper measures, and we call on the government to give attention to this area.”

Snake expert Ali Basim also rejected the reports. “The video that circulated shows what the owner claimed was an 8-meter snake in Salah al-Din. This is absolutely not true. The species in the video is a very venomous round-nosed viper, the largest type in Iraq, but scientifically it does not exceed 160 centimeters,” he said. “Giant snakes do not exist in the Middle East at all. Even if released, they cannot adapt to Iraq’s environment because of soil type, food availability, and temperatures. That means such a snake could not survive even a single day here. Do not believe everything published, and take correct information from snake experts.”