Green Anaconda

The Green Anaconda is widely regarded as the heaviest snake species on Earth, with females growing dramatically larger and heavier than males. It inhabits slow-moving rivers, swamps, and flooded grasslands across tropical South America, where its bulk is supported by the buoyancy of water.

While not the longest snake in the world, its extraordinary girth and weight make it a formidable ambush predator capable of subduing large prey.

• Olive-green to dark green background color with rounded black or dark brown blotches along the back and sides
• Extremely heavy, thick body relative to its length, especially in mature females
• Small eyes and nostrils positioned high on the head, adapted for lying mostly submerged
• Smooth scales
• No heat-sensing pits, round pupils
• Distinguished from other large constrictors by its aquatic habits and combination of green coloration with rounded dark blotches

Found in slow-moving rivers, swamps, marshes, and seasonally flooded savannas throughout the Amazon and Orinoco basins and other tropical lowland wetlands of South America.

Largely aquatic, spending much of its time submerged with only eyes and nostrils above water, ambushing prey that comes to drink. Preys on fish, birds, capybaras, caimans, and other medium to large vertebrates, subduing them by constriction. Viviparous, giving birth to live young after a gestation period of several months. Generally solitary and not aggressive toward humans unless threatened.