8 Interesting Facts About Green Anacondas
The name anaconda paints the picture of a gigantic snake with a treacherous nature that can constrict and swallow adult humans in moments. However, such an image of this snake is way exaggerated and except for anecdotal reports, actual evidence of "man-eating" anacondas does not exist. However, these snakes still have enough reason to capture the awe of everyone. Their massive size, remote habitats, and unique behavioral traits make them interesting objects of study. Here is a list of some of the most interesting facts related to the green anaconda, the largest of all anaconda species.
Anacondas Form Breeding Balls In The Mating Season
During the mating season which coincides with the rainy season, male anacondas seek out females by the pheromones released by the latter. Exactly how this happens is yet to be elucidated. Females can be seen in a motionless state during mating while males move in from all directions flicking their tongues to sense chemicals that indicate the presence of the female. Often, a single female Is approached by multiple males who together form odd clusters called "breeding balls." Around 12 male anacondas wrap around the same female trying to copulate with it. This breeding ball may last for 2 to 3 weeks where males engage in slow-motion wrestling to find an opportunity to mate with the female.
The Green Anaconda Is The World's Largest Snake
The green anaconda is the heaviest snake in the world. It typically weighs around 30 to 70 kg. It is also one of the longest snakes. It can attain lengths of up to 5.21 m. Reports of anacondas much longer than this have also surfaced but such claims must be regarded with caution. The longest specimen studied by Dr. Jesús Antonio Rivas was a female with a length of 5.21 m and weighing 97.5 kg. On several occasions, rewards were announced for those who would trap or record the largest living anaconda. However, the ethical standards involved in such competitions have also been questioned.
Slow On Land But Sleek In Water
Anacondas are cumbersome on land. Their gigantic proportions make it difficult for them to move on land. However, they are completely different animals in the water. Here, they are sleek and stealthy. They are ambush predators who remain completely submerged except for their eyes and nasal openings which remain above water. In this position, they lie in wait for unsuspecting prey to come near them. The anaconda also swims fast in the water.
Male Anacondas Can Fall Prey To Females
Cannibalism is not uncommon in anacondas. In most recorded cases, a female green anaconda has consumed a smaller male. The sexual dimorphism exhibited by this species whereby females are way bigger than males could play a role in making the former consider the male as her prey. Also, a female might need surplus food intake after breeding to sustain a long period of gestation. This need could influence her to consume one of her kind. Thus, a nearby male becomes a source of nutrition for the opportunistic female.
Remote Habitats Make Studying Them Difficult
Green anacondas inhabit some of the world's most inaccessible, remote, untouched habitats. They are found in the swampy, seasonally-flooded areas of the Amazonian savanna where modern forms of communication are nearly completely absent. Only a few have dared venture into such remote locales. Also, the nocturnal habit of the snake and their remarkable ability to camouflage makes it difficult to spot them and study them in the wild. Thus, many questions related to this elusive species remain unanswered. IUCN enlists the species as Data Deficient on the Red List.
Anacondas Have Popularly Featured In Horror Films And Literature
Their sheer size, mysterious nature, and ability to take down large prey, makes anacondas perfect for portrayal in horror stories. The existence of anacondas was unknown to most of the world until the release of the 1997 film Anaconda and its three sequels that feature "bloodthirsty" anacondas swallowing humans in full to satisfy their insatiable hunger. Although, in reality, the stories were way too exaggerated, these films aroused global interest in these snakes and encouraged research on them.
Do Green Anacondas Eat Humans?
Like every other "man-eater" story, the imagery of anacondas gulping down humans whole has little credibility. Although numerous local legends and stories report these snakes as "man-eater," real scientific evidence of any such claim is lacking. There is no doubt, however, that these snakes can constrict and kill an adult human being and consume it. However, humans are never known to be their natural prey and most of these snakes live in areas that are far away from any human settlements. Under usual. circumstances, green anacondas survive on a diet of wild pigs, capybara, birds, turtles, etc.
Anacondas Can Eat Caimans And Jaguars
While reports of anacondas eating humans appear exaggerated, there is some evidence about these snakes predating on caimans and jaguars. While anacondas generally try to avoid such prey as they might be heavily injured or killed while tackling such prey, on occasions they have successfully killed and eaten the other predators sharing their niche.
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