Tina Yurko, age 11, of Merrillville, Ind., for her question:

WHAT IS THE LONGEST SNAKE?

There are about 1,700 different species of snakes, and they can be found in all of the world's temperate and tropical zones. They range in size from tiny creatures only a few inches long to the giant anaconda of South America. Although they average about 20 feet in length, one measuring 37 feet is on record.

The anaconda swims superbly and spends much time lounging on half submerged logs. He can also rest in the branches of huge trees anal has been known to reach down and catch an unsuspecting deer on the ground. Other very long snakes include the boa constrictor of South America (15 to 18 feet long) and the Asian cobra (the average length is 5 feet but there's one on record of 18 feet).