Green Anaconda, also known as water boa, is the heaviest and one of the longest snakes in the world. Its scientific name is Eunectes murinus. The word “Eunectes” in Latin means “good swimmer”. However, the word “murinus” which means mouse-gray (color), somehow contradicts its name. Is the Green Anaconda actually green or is it a gray as its scientific name suggests? Let’s find that out and learn some other interesting traits of these giant snakes
- Green anacondas are the heaviest snakes in the world. Some of them weigh more than 550 lbs. (250 kg). Their length can reach close to 30 feet (9 meters). However, its maximum length is still under debate. There are some stories which claim that early European explorers encountered 100 feet (30 meter) long green anacondas, but there is no real-world evidence to prove those claims.
- Green anacondas can remain in the water almost completely submerging its entire body. Because their nostrils locate in the tip of their snouts facing upward. That physical trait allows them to remain in the water for a long time, waiting for their prey.
- Female Anacondas are larger than males. That makes them dominant in a relationship. There were several cases where female anaconda strangled a male into death.
- Green anacondas are little shorter than reticulated pythons of Asia. As far as body mass concerned, none other snakes can beat green anacondas. They are the king of snakes because of their enormous body mass.
- Anacondas stay around water and catch animals that come to drink water. Usually, they can be found near rivers, swamps, and bogs. They are good at camouflaging themselves in order to trap their prey.
- Green Anaconda moves a lot faster in water than they do on land. More specifically, on land, they can move at the speed up to 5 miles per hours (8.5 km/h). In the water, their speed can reach 10 miles per hour (17km/h).
- They eat wild pigs, capybara, birds, deer, fish, turtles, caimans and jaguars. Generally, they are not too shy swallow big animals. In order to recharge their huge body, they get to eat big. For example, they can eat an entire deer that weighs around 120 lbs. (54kg).
- They can go without food for 6 months after having a large meal. It is amazing how long green anacondas can survive without food. In fact, the trick is in the portion of the food they eat. They eat big portions such as entire deer, capybara or jaguar and they digest them slowly during a long stretch of time.
- Green anaconda are not venomous. They usually do not bite. If they do, their bite is not as fatal as their squeezing technique. Once anaconda wraps its body around a prey, they won’t let it go until the prey is totally suffocated to death.
- Some people look at green anacondas as human-eaters. That is how movies depict them but we all know that movies sometimes can be a lot different than reality. In real life, there is no solid evidence to approve such claims, except circulating stories about them swallowing child or herdsman alive. Lack of real-life evidence does not mean anacondas will leave humans alone if they catch them on their hunting territory. People may outrun them on the land, but the chance of escaping in the water decreases significantly since green anacondas are fast swimmers.
- A female anaconda eats a smaller male. Interestingly, they possess cannibalistic tendencies. Scientists cannot explain exactly why female anacondas have an appetite for its male partner. Some believe that it is because when female needs nutrition to reproduce, they catch the prey that are available to them.
- A green anaconda is a shy reptile. They won’t come close to human settlements unless they are extremely short on food. Surprising, isn’t it? Thanks to contemporary stories and movies, most of us know them as aggressive attackers to human settlements, but science totally contradicts that depiction.
- They live in the Amazon river basin. Since they are shy creatures, they hide deep inside the woods, away from human settlements. Green anacondas have olive green color with dark gray patterns which easily blends in with Amazon environment.
- Once baby anacondas are born, almost immediately they start swiming and hunting. These characteristics totally against the notion “no one is born with skill”. It seems like green anacondas are.
- A green anaconda gives birth to 20-40 babies. Some records suggest that anacondas are able to give birth to 100 young ones, but it is unusual.
- During the mating season, about 12 male anacondas battle for a single female. Their mating fight is described as “Breeding Ball”. During the wrestling, male anacondas become tangled around the female. The “breeding ball” can last two to four weeks or until one of the males claims victory.
- Green Anacondas do not chase their prey, they ambush them at a right distance. If you spot anacondas on the ground, you can simply outrun them. Their movement on the land is slow. Although it may not chase you, keeping a safe distance is always a good option.
- Green Anacondas like neither fast-moving streams nor clear water. For that reason, they are usually found in the murky waters such as in swamps and marshes. Two reasons for their choice of location. First, when they are in the slow-moving streams, they do not have to spend energy to hold their body against the flow of water. Secondly, contrary to clear water, they can remain hidden in murky water until they catch their feast.
- The most powerful opponents of green anacondas are humans. I know, it is not surprising. Humankind is a predator of many creatures regardless of how big and how scary those are. When we see green anacondas, we feel threatened and scared. However, anacondas may have a reciprocal feeling towards us. Humans hunt them for their skin in order to make fancy shoes, belts, boots, purses, and many other luxury products.
- The average lifespan of a green anaconda is 10 years, although they can live up to 28 years in an ideal environment. Until anacondas reach a full-grown size, they become prey for many predators such as Jaguars, caimans, jungle cats and large birds.
