How much does the largest anaconda weigh? The largest snake in the world is the anaconda. How to hunt and what to eat

International scientific name

Eunectes murinus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Taxonomy on Wikispecies

Images on Wikimedia Commons

ITIS NCBI EOL

Coming from the city of Antiocha to Cartagena, when we settled it, Captain Jorge Robledo and others discovered so many fish that we killed with sticks whatever we wanted to catch... In addition, there are very large snakes in the thickets. I want to tell and tell about something reliably known, although I have not seen it [myself], but many contemporaries have met who are trustworthy, and this is what it is: when, by order of the licentiate of St. Croix, Lieutenant Juan Creciano passed along this road in search of Licentiate Juan de Vadillo, leading with him several Spaniards, among whom were a certain Manuel de Peralta, Pedro de Barros, and Pedro Shimon, they came across a snake or snake, so large that it was 20 feet long, and very thick. His head is light red and his green eyes are terrifying, and since he saw them, he wanted to head towards them, but Pedro Shimon inflicted such a wound on him with a spear that even though he flew into [indescribable] rage, [still ] died. And they found in his belly a whole fawn [tapir?], as he was when he ate it; I will also say that some hungry Spaniards began to eat the deer and even part of the snake.

Cieza de Leon, Pedro. Chronicle of Peru. Part one. Chapter IX.

Appearance

Anaconda is the largest modern snake. Its average length is 5-6 meters, and specimens of 8-9 meters are often found. A unique specimen from eastern Colombia, unique in size and reliably measured, had a length of 11.43 m (this specimen, however, could not be preserved). Currently, the largest known giant anaconda is about 9 meters long and weighs about 130 kg, and is kept at the New York Zoological Society.

The main color of the anaconda's body is grayish-green with two rows of large brown spots of round or oblong shape, alternating in a checkerboard pattern. On the sides of the body there is a row of smaller yellow spots surrounded by black rings. This coloring effectively camouflages the snake when it lurks in calm water covered with brown leaves and tufts of algae.

Anaconda is not poisonous. Females are much larger and stronger than males.

Range and problem of conservation of the species

Due to the inaccessibility of the anaconda's habitats, it is difficult for scientists to estimate its numbers and monitor population dynamics. At least in the International Red Book, the conservation status of the anaconda is listed in the “threat has not been assessed” category ( English Not Evaluated, NE) - due to lack of data. But in general, apparently, the anaconda can still be considered out of danger. There are many anacondas in zoos around the world, but it is quite difficult for them to take root in captivity. The maximum lifespan of an anaconda in a terrarium is 28 years, but usually in captivity these snakes live 5-6 years.

Lifestyle

Anaconda leads an almost entirely aquatic lifestyle. It lives in quiet, low-flowing river branches, backwaters, oxbow lakes and lakes in the Amazon and Orinoco basins.

In such reservoirs, the snake lies in wait for prey. She never crawls far from the water, although she often crawls out onto the shore and basks in the sun, sometimes climbing onto the lower branches of trees. The anaconda swims and dives well and can remain under water for a long time, while its nostrils are closed with special valves.

When a reservoir dries up, the anaconda crawls into another or goes downstream of the river. During the dry period, which occurs in some anaconda habitats, the snake buries itself in the bottom silt and falls into a stupor, in which it remains until the rains return.

Frequent cases of cannibalism have been reported among anacondas.

Most of the time, anacondas are solitary, but they gather in groups during mating season, which coincides with the onset of rains and occurs in April-May in the Amazon. During this period, males find females by following an odorous trail on the ground, guided by the smell of pheromones released by the female. It is believed that anacondas also release substances that attract a partner into the air, but this issue requires further research. During the mating period, you can observe how several very excited males scurry around one calmly lying female. Like many other snakes, anacondas form a ball of several intertwined individuals. When mating, the male wraps himself around the female’s body, using the rudiments of the hind limbs for traction (as all pseudopods do). During this ritual, a characteristic grinding sound is heard.

The female bears the offspring for 6-7 months. During pregnancy, she loses a lot of weight, often losing almost half her weight. Anaconda is ovoviviparous. The female brings from 28 to 42 baby snakes (apparently, their number can reach up to 100) 50-80 cm long, but can occasionally lay eggs.

An adult anaconda has practically no enemies in nature; occasionally, however, not very large anacondas are eaten by a jaguar or large caimans. The young die en masse from a variety of predators.

Subspecies

• Eunectes murinus murinus- type subspecies, found in the Amazon basin within Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru
• Eunectes murinus gigas- distributed in northern Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago.

These two subspecies were described a long time ago - in 1758 and 1801, respectively. They were distinguished by their color details and average sizes, which are slightly larger in the second subspecies.

Currently, it is believed that the giant anaconda does not form subspecies.

Other species of the genus Eunectes

southern anaconda

In the anaconda genus, 3 more species of snakes are known, closely related to the common anaconda:

• South, or Paraguayan, also known as yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus), found in Paraguay, southern Bolivia and northern Argentina.

This snake is extremely similar in lifestyle to the common anaconda, but much smaller in size - its length does not exceed 3 m. The main difference in its color is the absence of light eyes in the side spots. The southern anaconda is quite small in number, and therefore is very rarely found in zoos. In captivity, it eats fish and small animals. As for reproduction, one case is known in captivity when a female, 9 months after mating, brought 8 baby snakes 55-60 cm long.

• Eunectes deschauenseei, found in northeastern Brazil and Guyana (scientifically described as a separate species in 1936). The color of this snake is dark spotted and reticulated.

Eunectes deschauenseei

• Eunectes beniensis- discovered quite recently, in 2002, in the upper reaches of the Beni River. Poorly studied.

Legends of the anaconda

Often in the descriptions of various “eyewitnesses” information is given about anacondas of monstrous length. It was not only amateurs who were guilty of this information. The famous British traveler to South America P. Fawcett wrote about snakes of incredible size, one of which he allegedly shot with his own hands:

“We went ashore and approached the snake with caution... We measured its length as accurately as possible: in the part of the body that protrudes from the water, it turned out to be forty-five feet and another seventeen feet were in the water, which together amounted to sixty-two feet. Its body was not thick with such a colossal length - no more than twelve inches ... Such large specimens as this one are not often found, but the tracks they leave in the swamps are sometimes six feet wide and testify in favor of those Indians who claim that anacondas sometimes reach incredible sizes, so that the specimen I shot must look like a dwarf next to them!.. I was told about a snake killed on the Paraguay River and exceeding eighty feet in length!” (62 feet = 18.9 m; 80 feet = 24.4 m; 12 inches = 30.5 cm)

Colonel Percy Fawcett (1867-1925), a famous expert on South America, who nevertheless left dubious descriptions of the anaconda

Now, without exception, all such stories are considered fiction (especially since Colonel Fawcett cited many other absolutely false information in his notes). Strictly speaking, even the above-mentioned specimen with a length of 11.43 m was not documented according to all the rules, and in any case, it was apparently unique in length. It is very significant that at the beginning of the 20th century in the USA twice - once by President Theodore Roosevelt and the second time by the New York Zoological Society a prize of 5 thousand dollars was announced for an anaconda with a length of more than 30 feet (just over 9 m), but remained unclaimed.

A value greater than 12 meters for a snake is meaningless, at least from a purely biological point of view. Even a 7-8 meter anaconda is guaranteed to defeat any animal in the jungle. Too much growth will be energetically unjustified - in the conditions of a humid tropical forest relatively poor in large animals, an overly large snake simply will not feed itself.

Equally fantastic are the stories about the hypnotic gaze of the anaconda, which supposedly paralyzes the victim, or about its poisonous breath, which has a detrimental effect on small animals. The same P. Fossett, for example, wrote:

“...a sharp, foul breath came from her; they say it has a stunning effect: the smell first attracts and then paralyzes the victim.”

Modern science, including taking into account the extensive experience of keeping anacondas in zoos, does not recognize anything like this. However, it is a fact that the anaconda emits a strong unpleasant odor.

Anaconda and man

Anacondas are often found near settlements. Domestic animals - pigs, dogs, chickens, etc. - often become the prey of this snake. But the danger of the anaconda to humans, apparently, is greatly exaggerated. Isolated attacks on people are carried out by the anaconda, apparently by mistake, when the snake sees only part of a person’s body under water or if it seems to it that they want to attack it or take away its prey. The only reliable case - the death of a 13-year-old Indian boy swallowed by an anaconda - should be considered a rare exception. Another, recent case of the death of an adult is hardly reliable. On the contrary, the anaconda itself often becomes prey for the aborigines. The meat of this snake is valued by many Indian tribes; They say that it is very good, slightly sweet in taste. Anaconda skin is used for various crafts.

Notes

1. Anaconda- article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (Retrieved August 17, 2011)
2. // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional) - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
3. Zenkevich L. A. Life of animals. Vertebrates. T. 4, part 2: Amphibians, Reptiles. - M.: Education, 1969. - 487 p., p. 339.
4. Ananyeva N. B., Bor L. Ya., Darevsky I. S., Orlov N. L. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Amphibians and reptiles. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova - M.: Rus.yaz., 1988. - P. 275. - 10,500 copies. - .
5. Kudryavtsev S.V., Frolov V.E., Korolev A.V. Terrarium and its inhabitants (review of species and maintenance in captivity). / Responsible editor V. E. Flint. - M.: Forest Industry, 1991. - P. 317. - 349 p. - ISBN 5-7120-018-2
6. Systematic list of vertebrates in zoological collections as of 01/01/2011 // Information collection of the Euro-Asian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Vol. 30. Interdepartmental collection. scientific and scientific method. tr. - M.: Moscow Zoo, 2011. - P. 304. - 570 p. - UDC:59.006 -
7. Darevsky I. S., Orlov N. L. Rare and endangered animals. Amphibians and reptiles / ed. V. E. Sokolova - M.: Higher. school, 1988. - P. 338. - 100,000 copies. - .
8. "Biological encyclopedic dictionary." Ch. ed. M. S. Gilyarov; Editorial team: A. A. Babaev, G. G. Vinberg, G. A. Zavarzin and others - 2nd ed., corrected. - M.: Sov. Encyclopedia, 1986. - P.25.
9. Pedro Cieza de Leon. Chronicle of Peru. Part one. . www.bloknot.info (A. Skromnitsky) (July 24, 2008). Archived from the original on August 21, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2010.

Anaconda is the largest reptile that lives on the planet. These huge snakes cause, if not panic fear, then outright panic. Weight 150 kilograms and length 10 meters - these are not fantastic fragments from an adventure book, these are real facts. What is the largest anaconda in the world recorded today, and what reward awaits the brave man who catches a snake more than 10 meters?

Giants of the animal world: descendants of ancient snakes

Ancient books mention powerful and great snakes that are capable of swallowing a person and even digesting a healthy bull. Evolutionary biologists are still debating the origins of reptiles.

Some believe that the snake originated from reptiles, while others refute this fact, expressing an opinion about the relationship between the snake known today and the ancient aquatic descendant. The huge ancient fossils on display in museums are comparable to the size of a school bus. The findings and assumptions of many biologists and scientists still remain the subject of debate and hypotheses that still await scientific confirmation or refutation.

Big secrets: what is known about anacondas today?

Thanks to existing facts, myths turn into frightening reality. A deadly predator with powerful muscles, a forked tongue for tracking down prey and strong, curved teeth for capturing food, this is the largest carnivorous reptile on the planet, the anaconda.

The snake's habitat is in hard-to-reach places in Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Paraguay. Low-flow areas of the Amazon River and lakes of the Orinoco Basin provide anacondas with the opportunity to catch even cattle. Snakes lead an aquatic lifestyle, but can easily move on land.

The lack of information and little study of the existing population of snakes does not provide the opportunity to more accurately establish some facts: how many individuals live in the world, what is their life expectancy in the wild, and how realistic are the statements about the existence of individuals larger than 20 meters. It is known that females are three times larger than males, their size and mass allow them to capture larger prey, and the eaten porcupine can be digested for about a week.

There are three known species of anacondas:

• giant anaconda;
• ordinary;
• green.

The snake lies in wait for the victim, as a rule, near a pond. Favorite delicacies include iguanas, waterfowl and turtles. Cases of cannibalism are a characteristic feature for snakes. At the zoo, an anaconda strangled and ate a 3-meter python, which was in the same terrarium with it.

Anaconda and man

Man and his way of life attract reptiles. Cases have been recorded when the female showed interest in small children, dogs and pets. The reptile is considered dangerous when meeting a person in the water. Here her agility and strength doubles. While on land the anaconda is quite apathetic towards humans. Cases when an anaconda attacks a person are rare and are considered an exception rather than a pattern. When meeting a person, the anaconda opens its large mouth, trying to scare. The snake perceives a person as a predator, not food.

Cases of encounters between a man and an anaconda described in books are classified as “legends.” Since there are no reliable facts and documents confirming the existence of a snake larger than 10 meters. A common story, described in detail in books, concerns 1944, when geologists caught an anaconda measuring 11 meters and 43 centimeters in the jungles of Colombia. Until now, reptiles with these sizes have not been found. A special reward of $50,000 (established in America) awaits the brave person who catches and delivers an anaconda measuring more than 9 meters and 12 centimeters.

Huge death machine - South American anaconda

The anaconda's punching force is like that of a heavy boxer, a group of powerful muscles that wrap around the victim and kill without the slightest drop of poison. The victim dies from suffocation. The main advantage of a reptile is its weight and muscles; by wrapping itself around the victim, the snake does not allow the victim to breathe. After the anaconda feels that the victim is being strangled, it is time to eat. Large and curved teeth swallow and push food, and the reptile's throat stretches to impressive sizes at the moment of swallowing.

The largest anaconda in the world lives today at the Zoological Society of New York. Length and weight are listed as: 9 meters in length and 130 kg live weight. Statements about the capture of a specimen larger than 15 meters today have no confirmation. In nature, anacondas are found 4-5 meters long. Large reptiles are rare.

Weaknesses of the Intimidating Reptile

The natural habitat for anacondas is ponds with large thickets. Here the hunt for prey takes place, stocking up on the required amount of fat for bearing offspring. Increased appetite is typical for anacondas during the premarital period. The female absorbs a large amount of food, because during pregnancy (7 months) she will not eat food. Bearing offspring for some snakes ends tragically: death from starvation at the end of the term is a common occurrence.

The process of eating food is also considered a dangerous moment for the life of a reptile. After all, at this moment the snake is defenseless against a potential enemy, and if another predator sees it while swallowing food, most likely the snake itself will become a victim. If we take into account such a distinctive feature as the duration of ingestion of more than 5 hours, then there is plenty of time for the snake to be absorbed by a predator. The reptile becomes a victim of an attack by a jaguar, caiman or a school of piranhas in a pond.

Queen of Snakes: Interesting Facts

Anaconda is a snake that was considered little studied until the 20th century. Scientists, trying to find out some of the features of the reptile’s life and activity, moved for several years to live in places where it aggregated. Every new fact is news in the world of science.

Today the following is known about the anaconda:

• the female is larger and stronger than the male;
• scientific name – Eunectes;
• anaconda is the most “water-loving” snake;
• the snake strangles the victim until it feels the heartbeat;
• the teeth serve as a means of capturing the victim, the main power of the reptile is its muscles;
• females give birth to live fry, while other reptiles lay eggs;
• number of descendants – 25-30;
• from one brood, only 20-30% of individuals survive up to a year;
• at the beginning of the mating season, the female anaconda spreads a smell in the air that attracts the male;
• eyes and nostrils are located at the top of the head;
• growth does not stop throughout life;
• life expectancy in captivity is 5 years, in nature – 35-40;
• acids can dissolve even large bones;
• After a reptile defecates, it is impossible to tell which animal was eaten.

The largest anaconda in the world, which was caught and measured by a person, is not considered an indicator. After all, it is known that the length of a reptile in the wild can reach 15 meters or more. Facts known to scientists change the understanding of the real parameters of this giant every year. Perhaps in a few years a new record for the longest snake in the world will be set. After all, climate changes on the planet and a decrease in the number of reservoirs only contribute to the growth of this population. Every year the length of the anaconda increases.

Anacondas are definitely the largest reptiles living on our planet. They are incredibly huge, reaching a length of 10 meters and weighing about 140 kilograms. Their very appearance terrifies even the biggest daredevils, because it was not for nothing that in ancient times there were myths about huge snakes capable of swallowing a person whole.

Now the stories have become reality and not everyone will dare to approach such a creature. Official length largest anaconda in the world is 11.4 meters. It was found in Colombia, in the swamps, which are the most favorite place for such reptiles. These giant snakes mainly live in Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Ecuador. They often appear in the vicinity of the Amazon, where the current is not so fast. There they have the opportunity to attack cattle, because the volume of their body allows them to cope with even a bull without much difficulty.

It is known that, being the largest snake, the anaconda spends most of its time in the water, but can also move perfectly on land. She is a cold-blooded creature. Her body does not produce its own heat, so she has to look for sunny places where she can warm up. Suitable conditions are 25-27 degrees Celsius, but if it gets hotter, the reptile begins to look for a secluded place to cool down.

They have special teeth that are designed to capture prey. In fact, anacondas wrap rings around their prey and, using the power of their body, squeeze it so that it begins to suffocate. They do not relax their grip until they feel that the victim’s heart has completely stopped. Afterwards, the largest snake in the world, the anaconda, begins to absorb its food and this process is long. It all depends on the size of the prey, but sometimes it takes about 6 hours just to completely swallow the victim. During this period, it is more vulnerable than ever, because it has nothing to attack or defend with. The acids that the reptile has can successfully dissolve even the thickest bones, and after defecation, no one will ever be able to say what the giant snake was able to catch, eat and digest .

Even a photo of the largest anaconda will not be able to convey all its power and massiveness. Scientists, despite the fact that it is extremely difficult to study these reptiles, not only because of their size and the threat they pose, but also because they are extremely difficult to find, have found that anacondas grow throughout their lives . Moreover, in captivity they live a maximum of 5 years, and in freedom their age reaches 30-37 years.

It has been proven that among these creatures the largest are females. Their body volumes are twice or even three times the size of males. During the mating season, they release a special smell into the air, thereby inviting a partner. At one time, the female gives birth to 20 to 30 fry, but no more than 30% of them survive, otherwise the inhabitants of Brazil and Colombia would have big problems.

This is due to the fact that from the very first second of their birth, newborn anacondas take care of themselves. They get their own food and learn to survive in the harsh world around them. Their length at the time of birth is already almost a meter, but despite this, as well as their innate swimming skill, they can become easy prey for caimans, jaguars and even birds.

Anyone who has at least once come face to face with a snake will confirm that an unexpected meeting is always unpleasant and evokes the only desire - to jump away.

But if you see a snake from afar, you can examine it and observe its behavior. It is worth noting that human fears regarding snakes are exaggerated. If you study their behavior, you can understand that the likelihood of dying in an accident is much higher than from a snake bite. Still, there are snakes that involuntarily evoke fear. So, what is the largest snake in the world? The longest or largest snake in the world is the Asian reticulated python. It, in its natural environment, grows up to 10 or even 12 meters in length. Each individual can reach 150 kilograms. But no more.

The largest snake is the anaconda

Giant or Green. It is only 10 meters long, but its weight can be 220 kilograms. However, the Green Anaconda can easily compete with the Asian Python both in size and length. The largest living snake lives in New York, in the terrarium of the Zoological Society. She is about 9 meters tall and weighs 130 kilograms. But the longest anaconda length that has been recorded is 11 meters and 43 centimeters. It was measured in 1944 by a petroleum geologist who was studying the jungles of Colombia and looking for deposits of “black gold”.

However, the main evidence, the body of the “anaconda queen,” was missing. According to the geologist, after stunning and measuring, the snake came to its senses and crawled away. But the herpetological world still recognized the existence of a snake of this size. Since then, a length of almost 12 meters has been a generally recognized record. He was even included in the Guinness Book of Records. In the 30s of the last century, the zoological community announced a reward of 1 thousand dollars to anyone who could prove the existence of an anaconda more than 12.2 meters long. After this, former US President Theodore Roosevelt increased the prize to 6 thousand dollars, and reduced the size of the snake to 9.12 meters. Today the payment has already increased to 50 thousand dollars, but still no one can get it. Therefore, a 9-meter specimen from the New York terrarium is apparently the limit. This gives a trump card to supporters of the leadership of the Asian reticulated python. Although the only snake of the species whose length can be estimated with one’s own eyes is one meter shorter than the anaconda from New York. The python lives at the Philadelphia Zoo.

All about anaconda

However, it is worth noting that the remains of the Giant African Python, which lived 55 million years ago, were found in Egypt. Part of the spine suggests that the snake had a length of 11 meters and 80 centimeters. Today, the average length of an ordinary anaconda is about 6 meters. And cases of it growing up to nine meters are rare. The snake lives in the tropical forests of South America, in particular in the quiet backwaters of the Amazon. There the Giant Anaconda searches for its prey and guards it. It feeds on small and medium-sized mammals. She pounces on the victim, covers her with rings of her body, after which she strangles and swallows whole. An anaconda’s food is digested from several hours to several days. At this time, she does not eat anything, and also does not hunt. He just lies quietly, half asleep, in a secluded place. And, despite numerous cinematic and folklore legends, the anaconda is not dangerous for an adult. Cases of snake attacks on people are rare. Hunters, as a rule, do not experience fear when encountering anacondas. They destroy them in the same way as wolf farmers to prevent the snakes from destroying poultry and livestock.

Anacondas live in hard-to-reach places, so it is quite difficult to determine their numbers. However, it is already known that restoring the population of this snake species is not a problem. Giant anacondas are ovoviviparous. The average snake litter is up to 40 newborns. In addition, they reproduce calmly both in the natural environment and in captivity. Females and males are not picky about choosing a partner; it is enough for one to simply get into the visibility zone of the other. The largest snake on earth is not poisonous. She kills her victim by strangulation. And it doesn’t release venom like other snakes. This is the main difference between the Giant Anaconda and the King Cobra - it is the largest venomous snake in the world. She has the largest amount of poison.

Burmese python or dark tiger python

Grows up to 9.15 meters. This is a record copy.

This python is the largest of the tiger python subspecies. It can grow up to 8 meters or more. However, individuals up to 5.5 meters in length are usually found. The snake weighs about 70 kilograms.

Indian python or light tiger python

Reaches 6 meters in length.

A light tiger python differs from a dark one by the presence of so-called light “eyes” in the centers of the spots, which are located on the sides of the body, as well as by the reddish or pink color of the stripes on the sides of the head. In general, this subspecies is smaller than the dusky tiger python. Large individuals can grow up to only 6 meters.

King Cobra

This is the largest venomous snake.

It has the longest length among other poisonous ones. Individual individuals can grow up to 5.6 meters. However, on average, a cobra is only 3-4 meters in length.

Common boa constrictor

This is a snake from the family of pseudopods. Individuals can grow up to 3-4 meters in length.

The common boa constrictor feeds on reptiles and mammalian birds.

Black Mamba

This snake is the most poisonous in Africa. In length it grows to 2.4 - 3 meters. Some individuals are up to 4.5 meters.

Aurora and Black Mamba

The black mamba can crawl at speeds of up to 11 kilometers per hour. But with short throws and on flat terrain, the snake can reach speeds of up to 19 kilometers per hour.

Bushmaster

This is one of the largest representatives of venomous snakes in South America from the subfamily of pit viper snakes of the viper family.

Bushmaster can grow up to 3 meters in length, less often up to 4. At the same time, the body weight of the snake is quite low - only 3-5 kilograms.

Eastern brown snake

This snake can come in a variety of colors. But usually the color of the eastern brown is exactly brown.

Body length is about 2 meters.

Gyurza

This snake can be found in Russia and the countries of the former USSR. The viper is the largest snake of the viper family.

Feeding the viper

Together with the tail, it has a length of up to 2 meters and a weight of about 3 kilograms. The venom of the viper has a pronounced hemolytic effect. In terms of toxicity, it can be second only to cobra venom.
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Anaconda belongs to the class Reptiles, family Pseudopods, subfamily Boa constrictors, genus Anaconda. Previously, this snake was called a water boa. Today, this name has disappeared because... For the first time, mention of the reptile is found in the book “Chronicles of Peru” and is dated 1553. A detailed description of the snake was not made at that time. According to research results, it has been established that the anaconda is the largest snake in the world.

The main color is marsh, less often green. There are brown spots along the snake's body, which are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. They can be round or elongated, with an uneven border. There are small yellow spots on the sides, around which there are black rings. This coloring is good camouflage in areas where the anaconda lives. The reservoirs in which it lives grow a lot of algae with brown and yellowish leaves that hide the snake.

The anaconda's skeleton is divided into a body and a tail. There are up to 435 vertebrae in the animal's body. The ribs of the snake are mobile and therefore, when swallowing a victim, they are capable of spreading over long distances. The reptile's heart shifts so as not to be crushed by prey. An anaconda that has eaten looks strange, with a large expansion in the middle. The diameter of the body in this place becomes significantly larger. Movement becomes difficult and speed drops.

The snake's skull has a movable joint. Its bones are connected by elastic ligaments that allow the anaconda to open its mouth wide to swallow prey.

The nostrils and eyes are located at the top of the head, which allows you to breathe and observe what is happening around, partially raising it above the water surface. An anaconda can guard its prey by staying underwater for a long time and remaining invisible. The reptile attacks unexpectedly. The snake's eyes are designed in such a way that it tracks the movement of prey, but cannot focus its gaze on it for a long time. If the object of the hunt remains motionless, the reptile loses sight of it.

The skin is dense and dry because the body does not have mucous glands on the surface. The skin scales are glossy. Shedding occurs once, the old skin is shed like a stocking.

Anaconda does not produce poison. When saliva gets into the wound, intoxication of the body does not occur. The damage caused by a snake's teeth is painful. Bites become inflamed and take a long time to heal, since pathogenic bacteria are present on the reptile’s teeth. The teeth themselves are long and thin, so they easily penetrate tissue. Such a lesion is especially dangerous in nature, when there is no opportunity to get medical help, since the equatorial climate provokes the rapid development of inflammation.

Length

The length of the snake is 4-5 meters. Males are smaller than females. In length, reticulated pythons surpass anacondas, but not in weight. The weight of females reaches 70 kg, and the minimum weight of small males is 30 kg. The anaconda weighs more than the royal python, which is the longest snake.

Anaconda grows throughout its life. At first it is a rapid process, but later it slows down, but does not stop.

There is an opinion that the snake can be longer than 5 meters. The largest anaconda was an individual measuring 24 meters. However, these facts have not been confirmed. Biologists question the existence of the giant anaconda. Officially, the largest anaconda in the world was caught in Venezuela - this is a female with a length of 5 meters 21 centimeters. Her weight was 97.5 kg. This is the largest specimen that was caught. Scientists suggest that in nature you can find a large specimen, more than a meter longer than the average - up to 6 m 70 cm.

Where do anacondas live?

The snake lives in South America, in its tropical part (jungle). You can meet the anaconda east of the Andes, in Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia. It is also found in eastern Paraguay, northeastern Peru and northern Bolivia. Giant snakes discovered on the island of Trinidad.

It is difficult to estimate the number of snakes, since the world of the anaconda is inaccessible to humans. Because of this, there is no accurate data on what dynamics of population growth or decline this species has. Biologists are absolutely sure that at the moment the anaconda is not in danger of extinction.

In zoos, this giant species of snake is available in considerable numbers, despite a number of difficulties in providing the conditions necessary for the snake to live. The presence of such a reserve stock of individuals suggests that the animal cannot be on the path to extinction.

A swamp or river without a strong current is suitable for a snake. Reptiles remain in the selected body of water constantly. If it dries out, they move to a new place. During a drought, if the snake does not feel that there is water nearby, it buries itself in the mud and goes into a state of hibernation until the rains come. As soon as the water returns, the anaconda comes out of its torpor and returns to active life.

The snake spends most of its time in water. She briefly climbs onto the shore and driftwood to stay in the sun and accumulate heat. The anaconda is able to climb to the lower branches of large trees, on which it lies, basking in the sun.

The snake's molting takes place underwater. The reptile rubs against objects and gradually pulls off the old skin. This process was observed mainly in captivity, since observing anacondas in natural conditions is difficult.

What does it eat?

The snake is a predator. Its diet consists of mammals, birds and reptiles. In rare cases, the anaconda diversifies its diet with fish. The main prey a giant snake can catch is:

• agouti,
• iguanas,
• waterfowl.

Large individuals attack caimans, capybaras and peccaries. This large prey is rarely included in the snake's diet. A fight with a large prey is dangerous for the anaconda, so it does not strive for such a confrontation. It is difficult for a snake to devour such a victim.

Some individuals are capable of killing and eating other snakes. Zoos recorded a case in which a 2.5-meter-long python was eaten by an anaconda.

The reptile lies in ambush for a long time. When the prey comes close enough, the snake attacks it and, wrapping its body around it, strangles it. The anaconda does not break the victim’s bones, nor does it crush its internal organs. The death of prey occurs from suffocation, since the snake does not allow the victim to breathe, squeezing the lung area.

The food is swallowed whole. By stretching its mouth and throat, the snake stretches over the victim like a stocking. There are cases when an anaconda, when swallowing a victim, receives serious injuries. Biologists are convinced that the snake does not know how to estimate the size of its prey and does not see the danger in eating a large object. Snakes that swallow an animal that has claws, horns, or hard cutting scales often die.

How does it reproduce?

The anaconda spends most of its life alone. When mating, reptiles form large groups. This moment comes at the beginning of the rainy period that the Amazon experiences in April and May. Females leave a special odorous trail, which males use to find them. There is an assumption that the snake leaves an attractive odor on the ground for a future partner and releases similar substances into the air, increasing the speed of their spread.

Often, during the mating period, several excited males crawl around one female, who remains calm. As a result, a ball of snakes is formed. At the moment of mating, a grinding sound is heard due to the special skin of snakes.

Gestation lasts 6-7 months. Due to the inability to eat properly, the female loses weight by 2 times. This does not affect her condition.

Anaconda is an ovoviviparous snake. The development of the offspring occurs in the body. Baby snakes are born fully formed. The total number of offspring is 30-40 baby snakes. Scientists believe that large females give birth to up to 100 cubs. The length of newborns is 50-80 cm.

In rare cases, an anaconda may not incubate eggs in the body, but lay them. This phenomenon is considered exceptional and is typical only for emaciated females who cannot tolerate the formation of baby snakes in the body.

Enemies

Due to their size and weight, adult females are rarely targeted by predators. Males are more likely to be attacked by jaguars, pumas and caimans. In isolated cases, giant otters attack young individuals. There have also been cases of cannibalism.

The main danger is people. Local tribes value the meat of the reptile, which has a sweetish taste and is nutritious. Hunting an anaconda is not considered dangerous because it is afraid of people and does not show strong aggression, trying to scare the attacker and hide. The snake skin is used to make crafts that are sold to tourists.

Lifespan

The lifespan of snakes has not been precisely established, since anacondas live shorter in terrariums than a wild representative of the species in its natural habitat. In captivity, the snake lives 5-6 years, while the officially registered life expectancy of an anaconda in nature lasts up to 28 years. Presumably, the reptile can live longer, but due to the paucity of data, such cases have not been recorded. How long the terrible representative of reptiles can exist is unknown.

Biologists distinguish several subspecies of anaconda: royal, giant and yellow. They have a similar lifestyle and diet. The main differences in their characteristics are color and size.

The anaconda is a unique snake. This tropical, non-poisonous species is capable of reaching gigantic sizes. The snake study continues. Nature continues to surprise people with the characteristics of its inhabitants.