What does the largest anaconda look like? The giant anaconda, where it lives, what it eats, is the anaconda dangerous, facts. Anaconda habitat

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. Deadly dangerous predator With powerful muscles, a forked tongue for tracking down prey, and strong, curved teeth for capturing food, it 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 in the Orinoco Basin provide anacondas with the opportunity to catch even large cattle. Snakes lead an aquatic lifestyle, but can easily move on land.

The lack of information and little knowledge 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 wildlife, and how realistic are the claims 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 for a snake - characteristic feature. 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.” Because the reliable facts and there are no 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. Female absorbs a large number 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 - frequent cases.

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 this distinctive feature Since the duration of ingestion is more than 5 hours, there is plenty of time for the snake to be absorbed by the 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- 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 first mating season the female anaconda spreads a scent 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. Famous scientists facts Every year they change their understanding of the real parameters of this giant. Perhaps in a few years it will be installed new record the longest snake in the world. 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.

The famous giant snakes! They grow to incredible sizes. These are strong powerful creatures, deadly giants, ruthless and insatiable.

Ancient legends tell of giant snakes capable of swallowing an adult person whole. Today, thanks to the existing huge snakes, the myth is turning into reality.

The largest anaconda in the world, 11.43 m long, was caught in the wetlands of Colombia. On this moment In the New York Zoological Society there lives a representative of boa constrictors, about 9 meters in length and weighing 130 kg.

Another representative of huge reptiles is the reticulated python. Its length is 12.2 m, and its weight is 2 quintals. He now lives in the Japanese Zoological Garden.

From poisonous snakes is considered the largest King Cobra, reaching up to 5.5 m in length. Its habitat is India, Indochina and Southern China. A cobra's bite is so poisonous that a person's death occurs within a few minutes.

Anaconda is a super predator!

Anaconda South America- the largest snake in the world of the boa constrictor family. When meeting her, a person’s blood runs cold and a paralyzing fear appears. The snake's strong, writhing body is capable of strangling anyone who stands in its way, even an adult bull. And no wonder, the longest snake in the world can be compared to a bus. Her weight, in in some cases, reaches the mass of three adult men.

Their cunning, cunning, and size, combined with their method of movement, enhance their eerie mystical charm.

But today scientists are learning more and more about this mysterious creature.

Habitat and general characteristics of giants

Large anacondas always stay close to water, living in lakes, rivers, canals and channels that make up the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America, as well as on the island of Trinidad.

The Llanos Savannah in central Venezuela, with its lagoons and swamps, is an ideal habitat for anacondas. There are more of them here than anywhere else. The climate of the area is such that there is a drought for six months, followed by a six-month period of rain.

In most species of snakes, females are larger than males, but anacondas exhibit one of the most significant sex differences between females and males. males among land vertebrates.

A large adult female snake can reach 6 m in length and weigh over 100 kg, with a girth of 30 cm. Males, on the other hand, remain much smaller and thinner than females.

Like human fingerprints, the pattern of scales on the underside of the tail is unique to each individual. This pattern that anacondas are born with remains unchanged.

Like other snakes, anacondas are cold-blooded creatures, i.e. are ectotherms. They cannot generate their own heat, but are forced to look for it in the environment. Therefore, they are constantly looking for places with required temperature at 25-27°C. They seek warmth when they need it and avoid it when it gets too hot.

Wonderful hunters without teeth and claws

Anacondas typically kill their victims by squeezing them tightly. So hard that no blood flows into the heart. The heart stops beating, blood circulation stops, and the animal dies very quickly.

As soon as the snake begins to swallow prey, it becomes very vulnerable, since its main weapon is occupied. This process can last up to 6 hours depending on the size of the production.

Before the mating season, females must build up enough fat to bear offspring, since during pregnancy they do not eat for 7 months or more.

Even a turtle, whose shell perfectly dissolves gastric juice of the strongest aggressive concentration, can become a victim. It is characteristic that after defecation there is no evidence left, all the bones are digested.

Anacondas eat a variety of animals, ranging from small birds and ending with large animals. A snake rarely loses in a fight, but the sharp teeth and claws of the prey can decide the outcome not in favor of the predator.

When snakes want to gain weight, especially before mating season, they have to feed on large prey: capybaras, caimans and deer. All these animals know how to stand up for themselves, and sometimes inflict mortal wounds on the snake. When a snake has lunch, the food itself often strives to take a bite for itself.

Unlike other predators, the giant snake swallows its food whole. But to compensate for the lack of limbs, the anaconda, like most snakes, became a predator with a unique ability to adapt. The sides of the jaws are not connected in one place, which allows them to swallow any prey.

Despite the lack of weapons such as claws, snakes are skilled hunters. They use a number of complex techniques to survive in a hostile environment. The completely harmless appearance of a forked tongue inspires fear in most people. And some are even convinced that a snake can bite with its tongue. But this highly sensitive organ is vital for any snake to navigate its world.

With each protrusion of its tongue, the snake scans its surroundings. Both on land and under water, a chemical analysis of particles is carried out using the tongue, entering the brain through two holes in the palate leading to the so-called Jacobson's organ. This is why snakes have forked tongues.

The absence of eyelids on the eyes also makes snakes mysterious. But what exactly they see and how they do it still remains a mystery to scientists. It's no surprise that snakes, especially anacondas, are surrounded by myths and legends. There has always been something curious and unknown about them, but thanks to new technologies, science is gradually revealing some of their secrets.

Reproduction

Anacondas mate before a period of drought, when the humidity is not as high as during the rainy season. The male wraps himself around the female in such a way that it looks like spiral spaghetti. Moreover, the expression “group sex” very accurately characterizes the mating of anacondas, since many males are wrapped around the female at the same time.

They scrape against her skin with femoral spurs, a primitive appendage inherited from the ancestors of lizards. This is the courtship phase, which lasts up to 6 weeks, when males try to figure out who can stay near the female. During all this time, snakes spend a huge amount of energy. They do not eat, do not hunt, only court and mate. This is an amazing ritual!

Despite the inequality, no conflicts arise between males. It's a battle of perseverance and patience.

When fertilization has occurred, the ball disintegrates. The males and females each go in their own direction.

New life

In seven months, the anaconda will give birth to 20 to 60 live babies.

The mother does not feed during pregnancy because she is vulnerable to predators. Therefore, the pregnancy months are stressful for the snake. By the time labor begins, the mother will simply “die” of hunger.

Newborns reach up to 60 cm in length and from the very first breath they have to fend for themselves. Females do not nurse their young.

Cubs are born with the ability to swim and all the skills necessary for survival. But they still have a chance to die. While adult anacondas are practically not hunted by predators, newborns are extremely vulnerable to any threat: from caimans and birds to wild ocelot cats and jaguars.

By the time it reaches sexual maturity, after 8 years, the anaconda weighs 500 times more than at birth. Such growth rates significantly exceed the growth rates of other species of snakes.

Not many baby anacondas will survive their first year of life. Snakes don't win in competitions of numbers. The sayings “Like a snake in the grass”, “He has a tongue like a snake”, “A snake under the well” reinforce the negative image of snakes as dangerous and evil creatures.

Therefore, the main enemy of the anaconda is man. These mystical giants are killed for beautiful skin and for the production of medicines.

They are now recognized by scientists as an endangered species.

Swiss diver Franco Banfi went to the Brazilian region of Mato Grasso to specially photograph the famous anaconda in nature, the most big snake in the world.

And he managed to take amazing photos of the anaconda right in her natural environment habitat, under water. Franco found a magnificent snake eight meters long and posing no threat to him, since this specimen had recently dined on a capybara.

Throughout the photo shoot, the anaconda only lazily glanced sideways at the 53-year-old diver and, according to the latter, he could easily have touched it with his hand, but still did not do so.

At the first moment it becomes scary, but then you get used to it and begin to truly respect this animal,” says Franco Banfi, “I have never been so close to an anaconda, but for me this one is big non-venomous snake much safer than a small and poisonous creature.

Anaconda is the largest modern snake. Its average length is 5-6 meters, and specimens of 8-9 meters are often found. The reliably measured specimen, unique in size, 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 yellow spots smaller, surrounded by black rings. This coloration effectively hides the snake when it is hiding in calm water, covered with brown leaves and tufts of algae. Females are much larger and stronger than males.

The anaconda inhabits the entire tropical part of South America east of the Andes: Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, eastern Paraguay, northern Bolivia, northeastern Peru, Guyana, French Guiana, and the island of Trinidad. Due to the inaccessibility of the anaconda's habitats, it is difficult for scientists to estimate its numbers and monitor population dynamics. 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.

The anaconda feeds on various mammals, lying in wait for them near the water. It catches tapirs, peccaries, agoutis, capybaras, etc. Cases have been described more than once when an anaconda even devoured a jaguar (obviously, only the largest anacondas can defeat this predator). The anaconda often eats waterfowl, small caimans, turtles, and snakes - at least in the zoo, an anaconda once strangled and ate a 2.5-meter python.

There are many myths and legends about the giant anaconda, and sometimes it is difficult to determine where truth ends and fiction begins. And this is all due to the enormous size of this snake, as well as the inaccessibility of its habitats and the hidden way of life of the animal.

The giant anaconda has a number of other names: green or common anaconda, as well as water boa.

Description, vernal appearance of anaconda

This is interesting! The first official mention of the anaconda in work of art found in the story “Chronicles of Peru” by Pedro Cieza de Leon, which was written in 1553. The author claims that this information is reliable and describes the anaconda as a huge snake 20 feet long with a reddish head and angry green eyes. She was subsequently killed and a whole fawn was found in her stomach.

The anaconda is a world fauna, with females growing much larger than males. According to the most reliable and verified information, the usual length of this snake does not exceed 4–5 meters. Swedish zoologist G. Dahl in his diaries describes an animal more than 8 meters long that he caught in Colombia, and his compatriot Ralph Bloomberg describes anacondas 8.5 meters long. But such sizes are rather an exception to the rule, and stories about caught 11-meter anacondas are nothing more than hunting tales. A case of capture described in 1944 giant anaconda 11 m 40 cm long, modern scientists also classify it as a myth and believe that the size of the snake was greatly exaggerated.

The anaconda's body is pale greenish in color, covered over its entire surface with light brown oval-shaped spots; on the sides they alternate with a number of round grayish-yellow markings with dark edging. This color is ideal camouflage in dense tropical thickets among fallen leaves and snags. IN aquatic environment This coloring also helps the anaconda track prey and hide from enemies among algae and stones.

The anaconda's body consists of a spine and a tail, and the snake's ribs are very flexible and elastic and can bend and straighten strongly when swallowing large prey. The bones of the skull are also elastic, connected to each other by soft ligaments that allow the head to stretch and allow the anaconda to swallow a large animal. The tongue, like that of all snakes, is incredibly sensitive and mobile, it plays important role for studying environment and communication. Hard and dry scales cover the body like armor, protecting it from enemies. The scales are smooth and slippery to the touch, which makes catching an anaconda very challenging task . The anaconda sheds its skin at one time in a continuous “stocking”; for this, it actively rubs against stones and snags.

Habitat

Anaconda lives in humid tropics and water bodies of South America. Its largest numbers are in Venezuela, Paraguay, Bolivia and Paraguay. Also, the anaconda can often be found in the jungles of Guiana, Guyana and Peru, but due to the fact that the reptile leads a very secretive and inconspicuous lifestyle, its number until now has only an approximate value. Therefore, it is still a problem for scientists to accurately count the number of anacondas in a particular region. The population dynamics are accordingly also poorly monitored and the Red Book states that there is no threat of extinction of the species. According to a number of scientists, the anaconda is not an animal that is in danger of extermination. Anaconda lives in many public and private zoos around the world, but to create comfortable conditions It is very difficult for reproduction and therefore snakes rarely live up to 20 years in captivity, and the average life expectancy in zoos is short: 7–10 years.

Anaconda is aquatic and lives in quiet and warm waters creeks, rivers and channels. It can also often be found in small lakes of the Amazon basin. Anacondas spend most of their lives in or near water, lying on rocks or in dense tropical thickets, tracking their prey among leaves and snags. Sometimes it likes to bask in the sun's rays on a hill, and occasionally climbs trees. In case of danger, it hides in the nearest body of water and can remain underwater for very long. for a long time. During the dry season, when rivers and canals dry up, anacondas are able to burrow into silt and coastal soil, remaining motionless until the onset of the rainy season.

This is interesting! The structure of the head of this giant snake, its nostrils and eyes are located not on the sides, but on top, and when tracking down prey, the anaconda hides under water, leaving them on the surface. This same property helps to escape from enemies. When diving into the depths, this snake closes its nostrils with special valves.

Despite gigantic size, an anaconda often falls prey to a jaguar or caiman, and a wounded snake can attract the attention of a school of piranhas, which can also attack the weakened animal.

Compared to the boa constrictors we are used to, anacondas are much stronger and more aggressive. They can bite or attack a person, but more often they still prefer not to get involved in a conflict. Left alone with a giant reptile, you need to be very careful and do not provoke the anaconda with loud sounds or sudden movements.

It is important! An adult man can single-handedly cope with an anaconda, the length of which does not exceed 2–3 meters. The strength and musculature of this snake far exceeds the strength of a boa constrictor; it is generally accepted that one coil of the anaconda’s body is several times stronger than one coil of a boa constrictor. There is a widespread myth that these snakes can put a person into a state of hypnosis, this is not true. Like most pythons, the anaconda is not poisonous, but nevertheless its bite can be very painful and dangerous to humans.

Since time immemorial, there have been many myths and legends that describe the anaconda as a predator that often attacks humans. The only officially recorded case of an attack on a person was an attack on a child from an Indian tribe, which can be considered an accident. When a person is in the water, the snake does not see him fully and can easily mistake him for a capybara or a baby deer. Anacondas do not hunt humans, and local Indian tribes often catch anacondas for their tender and tasty meat, and use the skin to make various souvenirs and crafts for tourists.

The famous English zoologist Gerald Durrell describes his hunt for an anaconda and describes it not as a formidable predator, but as an animal that weakly defended itself and did not show aggression. The zoologist caught her by simply grabbing her by the tail and throwing a bag over the head of the “fierce anaconda.” Once in captivity, the snake behaved quite quietly, moved weakly in the bag and hissed quietly. Perhaps she was small and very frightened, which easily explains such “peaceful” behavior.

Nutrition

Anaconda hunts in the water or on the shore, suddenly attacking its prey. As a rule, it feeds on mammals and reptiles big size. Agouti rodents, large waterfowl and fish often fall prey to the giant python. Larger anacondas can easily swallow a caiman or capybara, but this does not happen often. A hungry anaconda may in rare cases hunt turtles and other snakes. There is a known case when an anaconda attacked a two-meter python in a zoo.

This huge snake capable of sitting in ambush for long hours, waiting for the right moment. When the victim approaches a minimum distance, the anaconda makes a lightning-fast throw, grabs the victim and wraps it in the steel grip of its muscular body. Despite popular belief, these snakes, like pythons, do not break the bones of their prey, but strangle it, gradually squeezing it chest and lungs. Often the anaconda crawls into villages and attacks small livestock, even domestic dogs and cats can become its victims. There are known cases of cannibalism among anacondas, when adults attack young animals.

Reproduction

Anacondas lead a solitary lifestyle and gather in groups of several individuals only for the breeding season.. This time usually falls during the wet rainy season, which in the Amazon Valley begins at the end of April. The female marks her tracks with a special substance that contains pheromones and attracts mature males. Several adult animals gather around the female in a huge heap, hiss and start fighting. When mating, like other anaconda snakes, they curl into a tight ball, and the male embraces and holds the female with special rudiments, making specific creaking sounds. Since several males participate in mating at once, it still remains unexplored which of them she prefers, the largest, the youngest, or the one who came first on the “date.”

This is interesting! The fact that before mating the female feeds heavily, since after pregnancy she will not be able to hunt for more than six months. The period of drought can last for a very long time and the pregnant female actively seeks shelter protected from the sun with the remnants of life-giving moisture.

Typically, pregnancy lasts 7 months, after which the female gives birth to up to 40 cubs. The anaconda is a viviparous snake and, after giving birth, throws out undeveloped embryos along with the living offspring and eats them along with the dead cubs, thereby providing itself with some energy until the time when it can go hunting again. After birth, small anacondas are already completely independent and soon crawl away in search of small prey. Most of the babies die, becoming victims of small predators and crocodiles, but up to half of the offspring can reach adulthood.

Anaconda's enemies

The anaconda has many enemies, and the main ones among them are caimans, who also live in rivers and channels and lead a similar lifestyle. Also, anacondas are often hunted by pumas and jaguars; young or weakened animals often fall prey to predators during periods of drought, as well as males who have lost strength after mating. But the main enemy of the anaconda remains the person who hunts giant snakes for fun and entertainment. Anaconda skin is also highly prized among tourists, making it attractive to poachers.

This is interesting! A small Paraguayan anaconda can be bought from private sellers; its price depends on the size and ranges from 10–20 thousand rubles.

Video: A giant anaconda ate a pig alive!

Underwater photographer from Switzerland Franco Banfi risked his life for exclusive material and sank to the bottom of the Amazon River in Brazil to swim with giant anacondas.

The traveler spent 10 days in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, during which he was able to capture six giant anacondas on camera. The largest of all existing snakes.

The photographer managed to take stunning photographs of a giant anaconda right in its natural habitat, underwater.

The huge predators calmly led their usual way of life, swimming in troubled waters river or basking in the sun after a meal, not paying attention to an overly brave person with a camera.

“Of course, anything is possible, but I don’t think she would eat me. Luckily for me, the anaconda had just swallowed its latest prey and didn’t look for me for a second course. I was so close to her that I could touch her if I wanted, of course,” said the 53-year-old photographer

The giant 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. An adult anaconda has practically no enemies in nature.

“At first it was very scary because I had never come so close to snakes before, everyone knows that they are very dangerous. But I realized that nothing will happen if you treat these creatures with respect. At least they are big and you can observe their reactions and behavior,” Franco added.

Currently, the largest known giant anaconda is about 9 meters long and weighs about 130 kg, it is located at the New York Zoological Society.

The main body color of the giant anaconda 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. Females are much larger and stronger than males.

The giant anaconda inhabits the entire tropical part of South America east of the Andes: Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, eastern Paraguay, northern Bolivia, northeastern Peru, Guyana, French Guiana, and the island of Trinidad. Due to the inaccessibility of the giant anaconda's habitats, it is difficult for scientists to estimate its numbers and monitor population dynamics.

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.

The giant anaconda feeds on various mammals, lying in wait for them near the water. She catches tapirs, peccaries, agoutis, and capybaras. Cases have been described more than once when an anaconda even devoured a jaguar. The anaconda often eats waterfowl, small caimans, turtles, and snakes - at least in the zoo, an anaconda once strangled and ate a 2.5-meter giant python.

Like all boas, the anaconda motionlessly waits for prey, and when it approaches, it grabs it with a lightning-fast throw and strangles it, entwining its body in rings (contrary to popular belief, the giant anaconda, like other boas, does not crush the victim and does not break its bones, but squeezes it and does not allow her to breathe, and she dies from suffocation). Like all snakes without exception, the anaconda swallows its prey whole, greatly stretching its mouth and throat.

Despite the fact that there is only one reliable case of a person dying from a snake attack, anacondas gained fame as “eaters” of people, largely thanks to Hollywood thriller films.