Dutch biologist and TV wildlife presenter Freek Vonk captured footage of a colossal 26-foot-long green anaconda during an expedition in the Amazon rainforest. Presumably the most giant snake on the planet, it is a remarkable sight. But this monster snake was a lot more than meets the eye. Scientists have now identified that it belongs to a new species, upending decades of scientific understanding. Their discovery was published in the journal MDPI Diversity.
While filming for a National Geographic series featuring actor Will Smith, the scientists received an invitation from a Waorani indigenous tribe in Ecuador to explore the region and collect tissue and blood samples from local anacondas. The researchers, led by University of Queensland researcher Bryan Fry, noticed that the anacondas they encountered in this remote section of the Amazon were much more giant than those found elsewhere. They also heard anecdotal reports from the local people of other anacondas in their area measuring more than 7.5 meters long and weighing nearly 500 kilograms.
These giant anacondas likely strayed from the commonly known southern green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) to reach their massive sizes. The two species are genetically distinct but look nearly identical. They split apart about 10 million years ago, roughly the same time that humans separated from chimpanzees, but differ by only 5.5% in genome content.
As for why anacondas grow so significantly, many factors are at play. For one, their genes give them a natural advantage regarding their lungs and heart size. The bigger these animals are, the more oxygen they need to function.
Another factor is that anacondas are primarily aquatic and spend much of their lives in and around water. They spend their days hunting in the rivers, lakes, and streams of the Amazon basin and prey on animals that live in or near the waters. As an anaconda grows, it becomes even more efficient at hunting on land by utilizing its powerful grip and girth to overpower its prey.
Despite their impressive stature, anacondas are not exempt from the threats that plague other animals in the Amazon rainforest. These creatures face deforestation, habitat degradation, forest fires, drought, and climate change. The researchers hope their discovery of the northern green anaconda will encourage people to take more excellent care of this ecosystem to preserve these giant reptiles.
The most enormous anaconda ever recorded was a female that grew to a record-breaking length of over 25 feet and weighed over 440 pounds. This snake, which construction workers killed to prevent it from disrupting a construction site, was thought to be the most significant and heaviest anaconda on Earth. However, other reports of outsize anacondas have been disputed due to distortions in perception and inaccurate measurements. Nevertheless, this newfound serpent is undoubtedly an incredible creature that will be a force to be reckoned with.