| Anaconda (Genus: Eunectes) is one of the most well | | | | eating for weeks after a heavy meal. |
| known animals in the rainforest and is even kept as | | | | Anacondas don't lay eggs; they give birth to young |
| exotic pets by some people. But unlike your average | | | | snakes, 24 to 35 at a time. They also live quite long, up |
| cats and dogs, these pets can easily grow up to 20 | | | | to 30 years as documented. But generally they are |
| feet and weigh up to 40 stones (250Kg). | | | | solitary creatures; a single big snake can dominate one |
| There are three types of Anaconda's known around | | | | area. But, despite their size, these snakes are incredibly |
| the rainforests of the world. The green anaconda, the | | | | elusive, blending in with the surrounding or gliding under |
| largest of these snakes can be found in Ecuador, Peru, | | | | water with just their nostrils over the water. This has |
| Bolivia, Brazil, Trinidad, Colombia, Venezuela and the | | | | made it harder for scientists to study this rainforest |
| Guiana's. The yellow anaconda is found in Paraguay, | | | | animal in the wild. |
| eastern parts of Bolivia, northeastern Argentina and | | | | For the same reason, Anaconda's also suffer from |
| southern Brazil. The dark-spotted anaconda is the | | | | wild reputations of size and appetite and even |
| rarest species and it has been seen in the rainforests | | | | behavior. Often locals make conjectures regarding the |
| of north-eastern Brazil, Coastal French Guiana and | | | | size of these snakes simply from discarded skins, |
| Guyana. (Source:wiki) | | | | which, incidentally can stretch longer than the actual |
| Commonly found in the rainforests of South America, | | | | snake. The result is a rumor of Anaconda's growing up |
| Argentina and the Amazon Basic, these snakes kill not | | | | to 50 feet long. But scientists have found no proof of |
| by injecting venom like other snakes, but rather by | | | | such. |
| crushing its prey to death. So you cannot die from an | | | | Even though these animals are considered exotic and |
| Anaconda bite. | | | | protected species, they are smuggled out of the |
| Unlike in the movie that made this snake infamous, | | | | rainforests to be sold as pets in many countries. |
| Anaconda's are actually rather slow and depend on | | | | Unfortunately, they soon grow too big to keep at |
| strength and stealth rather than speed for hunting. | | | | home or manage. And to avoid detection by |
| They prefer to use the water for escape and travel, | | | | authorities, the owners of the snakes release them into |
| adding to the other predators that lurk in the rivers of | | | | the nearest forest. Naturally, releasing such a huge |
| the rainforests. In the rainforest, the Anaconda will | | | | predator into a local eco-system unprepared for it can |
| slither among the trees or glide in the water, to lunge | | | | create huge imbalances in other local species of the |
| and coil their body around the unsuspecting prey and | | | | forest. |
| slowly tighten its hold until the prey is literally crushed to | | | | Moreover, Anaconda's have crawled into the list of the |
| death from and then literally pop it whole into the | | | | endangered rainforests animals, mostly because of the |
| mouth. | | | | slow receding forest areas. With loss of habitat and |
| Also, they can eat something as big as a jaguar in one | | | | food, these snakes grow more and more solitary and |
| meal, although generally meals consist of birds and | | | | we may never know many more facts about this |
| smaller animals. However, since these snakes have a | | | | amazing creature. |
| very slow digestive system, they can go without | | | | |