Forget the 50-ft Congo Snake legend. The African rock python is the real giant serpent of the Congo Basin, with proven lengths over 20 feet.

When someone says “giant snake,” your brain probably jumps straight to a movie scene — you know, a huge slithery beast lurking in the jungle, ready to snatch a person like it’s grabbing a snack.

A word of warning: If you’re afraid of snakes or blood-sucking insects, then this video showing a giant python being eaten alive by hundreds of ticks will almost assuredly give you the creeps. It’s ...