I read this in the morning paper also, and it brought to mind about a story from WWII in which some fighter pilots claimed to have seen a Snake that was 50 foot or larger. There was a long told story spread around the Islands indigenous population and it was always thought to be a myth. Seems to me that one living in the wild away from human kind feeding as it will could actually reach 50 foot if one in captivity can reach 40 feet.
Wild all the same, could you imagine someone yelling Snake! in the bar/pub one night and walking out the door you tell them "oh don't be such a sissy" and finding that wrapped around your Hog!
(they eat wild pigs and a Hog is otherwise known as a Harley to many

)