A giant snake skeleton-like figure that was said to have been discovered through Google Maps in France has set Twitter abuzz, with many claiming it to be that of the extinct Titanoboa.
On March 24, a TikTok channel, @googlemapsfun, published a video, purportedly showing an aerial view of a snake-like object off the coast of France through Google Maps.
The video states: “Somewhere in France, we can see something giant you can only see with satellites, hidden on Google Earth.
“Users believe this to be a giant snake. It’s about 30 metres long and bigger than any snake caught before.”
The account seemed to suggest that the ‘snake’ could be a Titanoboa, an extinct genus of exceptionally large snakes, reports UK-based internet media Unilad.
The video has since been by viewed over two million viewers, has 70,000 likes and hundreds of comments, with users flooding to the comments in debate over the discovery in France.
While some viewers expressed awe, there were many who quickly disproved the video, calling it a mere hoax.
One said: “Ok we will not go to France.”
Another wrote: “The snake is an artwork of an academy I think but I know it isn’t real.”
“This is what happens when the world is put on TikTok,” a third commented. “People that don’t go anywhere raise conspiracies.”
Following a heated discussion, fact-checking website Snopes responded to the claim that the ‘giant skeleton’ is actually a large, metallic snake sculpture called Le Serpent d’Océan.
The sculpture is located on the west coast of France and measures 425 feet (130 meters) long.
The sculpture is listed on Val De Loire’s website under ‘Museum and interpretation centres’. It was created by Chinese artist Huang Yong Ping and the website states that it is free to go and see.
(With inputs from agencies)
