The giant anaconda, where it lives, what it eats, is the anaconda dangerous, facts.
Giant anaconda called a water boa - not poisonous snake. The snake got its name from a Tamil word that appears with the word anaconda, means “killer of elephants”, but in Latin the translation is “good swimmer”. Etymologists believe that rattlesnake made similar sounds, and that's why she was called that. Where does such a snake live, what does it eat and how long does it live? This is what we will talk about.
Where does the anaconda live?
The length of a large snake is more than 5 meters, weight 97 kg or more. Scientists have found that anaconda 9 to 11 meters long - this is a myth, since its length does not exceed 6.5 meters. The snake's body is divided into a tail and a huge body with 435 vertebrae. Her ribs are mobile and allow her to swallow very big catch. Scull anacondas consists of movable bones connected to each other by ligaments. It is thanks to this feature that it opens its mouth wide and swallows its prey whole. Highly located eyes and nostrils allow you to breathe underwater. Its eyes allow it to quickly track prey rather than focus, thanks to transparent scales. Teeth giant anaconda , do not contain poison, although they are sharp and long, so the bite is not fatal to humans. Important organ snakes have a tongue that is responsible for taste and smell. The anaconda's skin is dry and dense, and all because it does not have mucous glands. But it is shiny, thanks to its scales. Its skin color is gray-green with yellow and olive undertones, and has black spots along its spine for camouflage.
Where does the giant anaconda live?
Because giant anaconda conducts most of its life in the water and is an excellent swimmer, it lives in quiet river beds, in swamps and in river backwaters. She occasionally crawls ashore and climbs trees. From the drought anaconda buries itself in the mud and waits for the rains. You can meet such a snake throughout the territory South America, in Brazil, Peru, Guiana, Paraguay, Guyana, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia.
How long does an anaconda live?
Anaconda can grow all its own life cycle, at an early stage intensively, then the process slows down. Record how long you live giant anaconda, failed. It is known that 5-6 years snake lifespan on average, but a 28 year old snake was also found. Only God knows how long this monster can live.
ANACONDA FOOD, INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANACONDAS
What does an anaconda eat?
Giant anaconda hunting in the water or on the shore. She motionlessly waits for prey, then quite sharply pounces and wraps herself around the victim, strangling her. Her victim dies from suffocation, and not from broken bones. Sometimes, anaconda grabs prey with its teeth and swallows. Feeds turtles, swimming birds, iguanas, lizards, capybaras, peccaries, capybaras, agoutis, caimans, tupinanbis and even large snakes. They become prey and domestic animals such as cats, dogs and chickens. Anaconda for a long time may be without food because food takes several weeks to digest.
People were afraid anacondas and considered her a bloodthirsty snake, in fact, only one attack was recorded on a teenage boy from an Indian tribe.
People promised huge money for giant anaconda 9 meters, but its length is no more than 6 meters 70 cm.
In America, anaconda was the best and scariest character for films.
Anaconda does not know how to paralyze the victim with his gaze! They can only put you into a stupor from their wild smell.
VIDEO: ABOUT ANACONDAS
IN THIS VIDEO YOU WILL SEE WHAT GIANT ANACONDAS LOOK AND LEARN A LOT OF INTERESTING
TravelAsk continues to talk about all the best things in our world. And you can find out which snake holds the record for its size.
Reptile giants
Most big snake considered an anaconda (Green or Giant). It is usually no more than 10 meters in length, however, it can weigh up to 220 kilograms.
Today, the largest of the anacondas lives in the terrarium of the Zoological Society in New York: it weighs 130 kilograms and is about 9 meters long.
The most long anaconda
And here's the most long length the anaconda that was recorded was 11 meters and 43 centimeters. In 1944, the snake was measured by a geologist who was exploring the Colombian jungle in search of gold.
He stunned the snake, measured it, but after that it came to its senses and crawled away. So we can only guess about the reliability of this fact. However, to this day the length of almost 12 meters is a generally recognized record, listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
In the 1930s, a reward of one thousand dollars was even announced for anyone who could prove the existence of an anaconda with a body larger than 12.2 meters. Then the premium increased to 6 thousand dollars, and the size of the snake decreased to some 9 meters and 12 centimeters. No one ever received the award. By the way, today it is about 50 thousand dollars, so everyone who wants to get rich and enjoy the jungle can start searching.
And apparently, a 9-meter snake living in a terrarium in New York is the limit for today.
So python or anaconda
In fact, it's fair to share first place between the anaconda and the Asian reticulated python.
Last in natural environment habitat can grow up to 150 kilograms and up to 12 meters in length. But this is also just a theory. The only giant python that can be truly measured lives at the Philadelphia Zoo. He's a meter smaller than an anaconda from the Zoological Society in New York.
What does history say?
However, in the history of the planet there were truly giant snakes. Zoologists gave them the names Titanoboa.
The monster weighed more than a ton with its relatively small size - about 14 meters. It lived approximately 58 million years ago in South America.
The giant could easily swallow a whole crocodile, and it’s not even worth talking about smaller prey.
The snake was not poisonous; it killed by force, squeezing the prey with its body.
After the dinosaurs went extinct, Titanoboa lived for about 10 million years. During this period she was the most big predator on Earth.
Where do anacondas live
The snake lives in the tropics of South America, in the backwaters of the Amazon. It is there that she looks for prey.
Despite many films and legends, the anaconda is not terrible for humans; cases of attack are rare. The snake feeds on small and medium-sized mammals. She strangles the victim with her body and swallows him.
It can take up to several days for the prey to be digested, during which time the snake quietly dozes in solitude.
It is very difficult to determine the number of anacondas, since they live in hard-to-reach places. Their average length is 6 meters; larger individuals are extremely rare in nature.
Second and third place
In second place in terms of size is the dark tiger python, the maximum length of which was recorded at 9 meters and 15 centimeters.
Usually they do not exceed 5.5 meters and 70 kilograms.
In third place is another giant - the Indian python.
A large individual reaches 6 meters in length.
Swiss diver Franco Banfi went to the Brazilian region of Mato Grasso to specifically photograph the famous anaconda, the largest snake in the world, in nature.
And he managed to take stunning photographs of the anaconda right in its natural habitat, underwater. 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. Her average length- 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 brown leaves and bunches 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 most large anacondas). Anacondas often eat waterfowl, small caimans, turtles, and snakes for lunch. at least, at the zoo, an anaconda once strangled and ate a 2.5-meter python.
An anaconda versus a python in a fight will most likely win, unless, of course, it encounters the very a long snake in the world, the reticulated python. But here, too, her chances of winning are much higher, since she, although slightly inferior to him in length, is significantly superior in weight.
A large anaconda can also cope with a young crocodile. Of course, she cannot survive against an adult, massive, large specimen; in a fight with him, she will find herself in the role of prey. But she can handle a small crocodile without much difficulty, and therefore is quite capable of feasting on it.
Anaconda is a vertebrate animal from the class of reptiles, belongs to the genus of snakes from the subfamily of boas and lives in tropical latitudes South America. This snake feels great in fresh water, and therefore prefers to spend as much time as possible in aquatic environment, for which it received the name water boa. Since it belongs to the subfamily of boas, the snake is not poisonous: it strangles its prey.
IN present moment The following types of anacondas have been found:
- The gigantic one is the most big snake in the world, more than five meters long, lives in tropical latitudes and settles in swamps and large rivers;
- Paraguayan - length no more three meters, lives in closed low-current reservoirs. In addition to Paraguay, it lives in Bolivia, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil;
- Deshauersea - lives in the northwestern part of Brazil;
- Eunectes beniensis is a snake about four meters long, representatives of this species are similar to the Paraguayan anaconda and there is a high probability that in the future it will become its subspecies. It was discovered in Bolivia in 2002 and on at the moment is under study.
Description
Anaconda is considered one of the most major representatives genus of snakes in the world: the longest measured anaconda is 5.2 meters long and weighs 97.5 kg (females larger than males). There is a lot of information about larger specimens, whose size exceeds ten meters, but this data is not confirmed by anything, and is very doubtful. It is worth noting that the anaconda versus the reticulated python is inferior in length (according to the Guinness book, maximum length python - 9.75 meters), but still wins in the mass.
The anaconda has a greenish-grayish color with large brown spots of a rounded or oblong shape, which alternate in a checkerboard pattern (this color hides a hunting snake very well). Speaking about the anaconda, it will be interesting that it, like other snakes, sheds old skin, but does this without leaving the reservoir: it rubs against its bottom.
Although anacondas practically cannot hear sounds, they have a very well developed nervous system, therefore various fluctuations in environment they feel with their whole body.
But as for vision, the snake periodically goes blind: instead of eyelids, there are motionless transparent scales on its eyes, which, when the snake begins to molt, become cloudy, blocking the view. Speaking about the anaconda, it should be borne in mind that, being a snake, it does not blink, so there is an opinion that it hypnotizes its prey.
Lifestyle
One of interesting facts The thing about the anaconda is that it is almost always in the water, and tries to go to the coast as little as possible: it swims excellently and is capable of staying under water for a long time, and in order not to suffocate, its nostrils close the valves during a dive. She prefers to swim in bodies of water either with a very calm current or without it at all.
The boa constrictor comes to the shore mainly to bask in the sun, and sometimes even climbs trees to do this. Speaking about the anaconda, it should be borne in mind that it moves like all snakes: the main role in this process is played by the tenacious scales located on the stomach, as well as the muscles of the body.
Once on land, the snake does not move far from the water, and if the reservoir dries up, it either moves to another, or goes down the river. If during a drought it is not possible to change the reservoir, the boa constrictor buries itself in the silt located at the bottom of the reservoir, after which it falls into torpor until the rainy season begins.
Nutrition
Like all boa constrictors, the anaconda is not poisonous: having attacked the victim, it embraces it “in an embrace” from which the animal rarely manages to free itself. Her grip is so strong that even one of the most formidable predators in the world, a crocodile is capable of becoming its victim (although an adult crocodile large species will get rid of the capture and, most likely, will eat it himself).
Eats the biggest snake in the world different reptiles, small mammals that come to drink. Usually these are rodents, turtles, waterfowl, and lizards. More large individuals can eat capybaras, peccaries, small crocodiles (up to two meters), there is even a case when big anaconda managed to eat a 2.5-meter python. They may well eat representatives of their own species.
Having smelled prey, the snake freezes in the water and becomes motionless. After the victim approaches, the boa constrictor pounces on it with lightning speed and strangles it, completely cutting off oxygen by immobilizing the chest, so the victim dies from suffocation.
After this, the snake eats it whole, greatly stretching its mouth and throat. Like all snakes, its mouth stretches very well with the help of an elastic ligament connecting the right and left side the lower jaw, which are connected to the skull by bones, the ends of which provide them with rotational movement. Thanks to this, the most large snake in the world is capable of swallowing an animal significantly larger than itself (for example, a young crocodile).
Reproduction
When talking about anacondas, it should be borne in mind that they are solitary animals, but when the mating period begins, they gather in flocks (this happens during the beginning of the rainy season). At this time, there are usually several males near one female and, just like other snakes, when mating they intertwine into a ball of several individuals.
The anaconda is ovoviviparous: it bears eggs inside the body, while the cubs mainly receive nutrition not from the snake’s body, but from the egg. Before being born, baby snakes leave the egg shell while still in the mother’s body. The female carries the cubs for about six to seven months and during this time she loses weight by almost half.
The female gives birth to from 28 to 42 cubs with a length of 50 to 80 cm, sometimes their number can reach up to a hundred. Immediately after birth, molting begins, so the baby snake does not eat anything at this time. When the molting ends, the baby is already able to swim, hunt, and feed on its own. At this time, small anacondas are extremely vulnerable and are eaten by birds, crocodiles and other predators.
Enemies of anacondas
If we talk about the anaconda, it is necessary to keep in mind that this boa constrictor is so strong that it has practically no rivals among snakes (an anaconda can easily withstand a fight against a python). Sometimes she may be attacked by a jaguar or large crocodile. A large individual is rarely attacked: the crocodile usually attacks and eats baby snakes or males weakened after mating. There were two recorded cases where an adult male crocodile managed to cope with female anacondas (such situations are the exception rather than the rule).
Despite the fact that the boa constrictor eats many mammals, rumors about the anaconda as a snake that feeds on humans are greatly exaggerated. A boa constrictor of this species rarely attacks a person (despite the fact that the boa constrictor is longer, the person is vertical in relation to the surface, and therefore she may consider him too large prey for herself).
There have been isolated cases of attacks on humans, caused by the fact that the snake sees only a part of the body that it can handle, or believes that they want to take food away from it. And then, she will attack a person sluggishly, reluctantly, rather trying to intimidate in the hope that he will leave. The only case where it is known for sure that an anaconda managed to eat a person is the death of an Indian teenager.
Since the snake lives in hard-to-reach, impassable places, even if there were cases of death, there was usually no one to record them.
It is man who is the most serious enemy for an adult anaconda: Indians hunt it for its skin, which is used for textiles and haberdashery, as well as meat. Hunting anacondas in the countries where they live is not prohibited, since it is believed that there are quite a lot of them and they give rise to numerous offspring. It is difficult to say exactly how many anacondas there are in the world, since they prefer to live in difficult to pass places, where the human foot steps as little as possible.
Anaconda (lat. Eunectes murinus) is one of the most beloved modern monsters. Thanks to the American thriller of the same name, mentions of this huge, grayish-green, with brown spots, boa constrictor make the hair on the head quietly move even in people who have never seen (and will never see) it in person.
The anaconda is also called the giant anaconda, common anaconda and green anaconda. Europeans first heard about this representative of the pseudopod family in 1553 from the book “Chronicle of Peru” by Pedro Cieza de Leon. According to Pedro, the specimen he encountered was 20 feet (just over 6 meters) long and incredibly thick. The Spaniards, not without difficulty, killed the snake and found a whole one in its stomach.
Despite the fact that from time to time there are eyewitness accounts claiming to have seen an anaconda 10, 20, or even more meters, it is believed that average value this snake is 5-6 meters long, and the largest specimen lives in the New York Zoological Society - its length is 9 meters and weighs 130 kg. The question arises: if they managed to raise such a monster even in captivity, then what could it be like in its natural environment - in the practically untouched tropical part of South America?
Precisely because of the inaccessibility of its habitats, very little is known about the habits of the giant anaconda. Almost all the information was collected from observing these animals in zoos. It is also difficult to estimate their number in wildlife. However, apparently, this species is not in danger of extinction.
Anaconda lives in quiet river branches, lakes and creeks of the Orinoco and Amazon basins. This is where it watches over its victims: various mammals, young caimans, turtles and waterfowl. He eats fish very rarely, although he can easily catch it. The snake's lightning-fast reaction helps it grab unwary prey, which it wraps in rings and strangles, then swallows whole. At the same time, its mouth and throat stretch to incredible sizes.
The anaconda crawls out of the water extremely reluctantly, only to bask in the sun, hanging its huge body on the branches coastal trees. During a drought, she either looks for a new place of residence, or buries herself in the bottom silt, where she falls into torpor and waits for the start of the rainy season.
Seasonal downpours, which begin in April-May, force male anacondas to seek meetings with females, who leave a specific smell on the ground during this period. When mating, males use rudiments of their hind limbs to mate with females. Pregnancy lasts 6-7 (according to some sources 9) months.
Anacondas are ovoviviparous; they give birth to from 28 to 42 baby snakes, a little more than half a meter long. On days 5-13 they have their first moult, after which the young begin to feed heavily. Often snakes themselves become victims of the most different predators. This is how they grow until they reach such a size that no animal wants to measure their strength.
As for attacks on humans, only a few cases are reliably known. And even then it is believed that the anaconda did this completely by accident. Although it is unlikely that the true victims of the huge snake would be able to tell the world about their misadventures. So it is possible that the rumors about her are not so exaggerated...
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