The green anaconda is a species of reptile found throughout South America including Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil. The species is especially prolific in the northern part of Brazil. In Guyana, the Green Anaconda was spotted by photographer Keanu Thomas in the wetlands of the Essequibo Coast where these photos were taken.
The green anaconda is downright the world’s heaviest snake weighing in at an average of 300 pounds, and it is arguably the world’s largest snake – measuring up to 25 feet in length.
The green anaconda is non-venomous, but that makes it none the less dangerous. It kills its prey by crushing and constricting – wrapping around its monstrous body and squeezing to destruction. Usually, the prey, or victim, dies by cardiac arrest resulting from lack of blood-flow to the heart.
The giant serpent will then open its horrible mouth from above and fit it over the victim headfirst, swallowing with muscle induced suctions. Once inside the belly of the monstrous creature, the digestive juices are let loose starting the slow digestive process which generally takes weeks. As a result, the green anaconda may be sluggish and lazy after having swallowed a prey, and it is easy to kill after feeding. This explains why many animals, even humans, have been cut out of the belly of this diabolic and frightening creature. After a hearty meal, the Green Anaconda may go comfortably for several months without needing to feed again.
The green anaconda mostly preys on animals of the wild such as the capybara, but humans are not out of its menu. The green anaconda has been known to attack humans and swallow them. However, they are less likely to attack humans.
Legend has it that the green anaconda, like many other species of the anaconda, is both treacherous and cowardly. It is cowardly in the sense that it will most likely attack a person who is alone and shy away from a crowd of people – knowing that it is likely to be killed in such conditions.
The green anaconda is treacherous in the sense that it will sneak up silently behind someone in the water – by wading undetected, its body camouflaging with the natural vegetation, and without creating waves. Then suddenly, the green anaconda will launch its monstrous body out of the water, wrap its victim into a stranglehold and drag it under. After squeezing the prey half to death, the green anaconda will then insert its terrible head over the prey and suck it down using its powerful internal muscles.
Habitat
The green anaconda generally lives in tropical rainforests. It prefers shallow, slow-moving waters such as swamps, streams, lakes, and flooded grasslands. Although it spends most of its time in water, the green anaconda may venture out into dry land and is often spotted in trees close to bodies of water, and in thick vegetation. “Perched” in a tree, the green anaconda is poised to strike at a prey by whipping it and wrapping it around with its powerful tale.
Food
What does the green anaconda feed on and what are its preys? The green anaconda preys on fishes, deer, rabbits, birds, etc. They are carnivores and basically eat anything they can catch.
Here is a great National Geographic Documentary about the Green Anaconda!
