The Truth About Anacondas
Posted in Wildlife A-Z | September 21, 2010 | Comment NowSnakes are perhaps one of the most feared creatures on earth. They’re long and they’re legless, they’re fast and they’re flexible, they are known to strike fear into the deepest spot of the hearts of people who are not accustomed to their presence. Just like other reptiles, they’re covered with scales, but unlike their lizard/crocodile cousins, the snake has skin that is far thinner.
The largest snakes on planet earth are said to be the giant anaconda and the reticulated python; both of these are known to grow to size of about 33 feet in some cases and could weigh up to about 550 pounds. They may not be poisonous, but the truth is that they could easily crush you.
The Anaconda:
The anaconda is part of the boa family and is a constrictor. That would mean that it kills its prey by squeezing the life out of it. The most common anaconda is known to inhabit the waters of the rivers that lie in the Amazonian South America., the region that is east of Andes. There is a yellow anaconda that is known to live in the southern part of South America. This one, however, is said to be way smaller and only comes up to about 10 to 12 feet (yeah, that’s small). Anacondas do not lay eggs, but they give birth to young ones.
Although the anaconda is called a ‘water boa’, it is known to spend a lot of time sunbathing. Here it would be considered less dangerous, because its weight is not well supported. Anacondas are popularly known to be opportunistic hunters, in that they will typically wait for their prey to come to them. They will slowly advance towards you only if they’re highly interested; but are generally known to be content waiting for the pretty to go closer to them. In lay man terms that would translate to Anacondas being ambush experts.
Giant Anacondas: Fact or Fiction?
This is one of the most fundamental questions that get attached to this large snake species. How big can they get? The truth is that science says that they can get to about 30 feet in size and some are known to even acknowledge about 37 feet. However, there have been questions, time and again, about whether or not could larger snakes be alive? Could some of them exist deep inside the heart of the rainforests of South America? Is this notion even thinkable?
While such a notion may be quite possible, according to experts it is improbable. Some people, nonetheless, believe that anacondas could surpass the 40 feet mark and they do exist in the wild.
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