THE world’s biggest snake in captivity has died aged 35 after growing to 26ft and 300lbs.

Tributes poured in for Goldie following her death, describing her as a “gentle giant”.

The python died at the SkunkApe Research Headquarters in Ochopee, west of Florida, US.

Centre owner, Jack Shealy, said: “It was her time.

“She lived a full life, and she was iconic to this place.

“For 20-something years she’s been part of our family.”

Goldie came to SkunkApe in the early 2000s after being re-homed from a zoo and spending a few years as a household pet.

She is thought to have been between 10 and 15 years old when she arrived.

A representative from SkunkApe said: “With an impressive lifespan of over 30 years, she was truly a legend among reticulated pythons.

“Working with reptiles has always been a challenge and a privilege, and Goldie was a huge part of that journey.

“Rest easy, Goldie. You were one of a kind.”

Guinness World Records reports the biggest reticulated python ever captured was 32 feet, 9.5 inches, and the longest living in captivity was a 25-foot, 2-inch snake that died in 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Goldie was about 6 inches longer at the time of her death.

Reticulated pythons are native to south and southeast Asia.

But unlike the Everglades’ Burmese pythons, Goldie was a domesticated pet and did not threaten the native wildlife.