is one piece episode 168 filler?

The exploration team of the Straw Hats move out to find the gold and the rest of the crew sail out. While traveling through the forest, Chopper noticed that a tree root was moving.

He ignored it saying to himself that the crew would make jest of him if he told them. Just then Luffy turned back and noticed the same thing as Chopper and commented on it, which got the attention of the other two.

The tree root began to move and what appeared before them was a Giant Python. The rest of the crew sailing down the Milky Road had Gan Fall with them.