Key Facts about Green Anaconda

About Green Anaconda:

• It is the largest snake in the world when both weight and length are considered.
• It can reach a length of 30 feet (9 metres) and weigh up to 227 kilograms.
• It has two species: the southern green anaconda and the northern green anaconda.
• Distribution: They are native to South America east of the Andes, and can be found in several countries, including Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, the island of Trinidad, and as far south as northern Paraguay.
• Habitat: They generally live in tropical rainforests and tend to prefer shallow, slow-moving waters, such as streams, rivers, and flooded grasslands.
• The green anaconda is a member of a family of snakes called constrictors.
  • Constrictors are not venomous snakes. They don't kill prey by delivering venom through a bite.
  • Instead, constrictors wrap their bodies around their prey and squeeze until it stops breathing.
  • The giant snake opens its mouth wide enough to swallow its victim.
  • Anaconda jaws are held together with stretchy ligaments so they can open wide enough to swallow prey whole.
• They are well adapted to aquatic life. Their nose and eyes are located on the top of their heads to help them see and breathe while swimming in the water. 
• These anacondas are olive-green with dark oval spots along their spines and similar spots with yellow centres along their sides. 
  • Their colour and pattern provide camouflage, allowing them to blend in with the wet, dense vegetation of their habitat.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern
• The northern green anaconda can grow up to 7.5m and weigh close to 500kg, making it the largest and heaviest snake yet known in the world.
  • It diverged from the previously known southern green anaconda about 10 million years ago, differing genetically from it by 5.5 per cent.