Northern Green Anaconda
Eunectes murinus
One of the world's largest and heaviest snakes, this massive semi-aquatic constrictor dominates the rivers and wetlands of the Amazon and Orinoco basins.
- Venomous?
- Non-venomous
- Adult length
- 3-6 m (10-20 ft), females larger
- Range
- Amazon Basin and Orinoco Basin of South America
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Overview
The Northern Green Anaconda is among the largest snakes on Earth by weight, inhabiting the vast river systems, swamps, and flooded forests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. It is a member of the boa family adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle.
Renowned for its immense bulk, this anaconda can weigh well over 100 kg, with females significantly larger than males, a pronounced example of sexual size dimorphism among snakes.
Despite its size, the species is generally reclusive, spending much of its time submerged or resting in dense riverside vegetation, making sightings less common than its reputation might suggest.
How to identify it
- Massive, thick body, among the heaviest of any snake species
- Olive-green to dark green base color with large black or dark brown oval or circular blotches
- Eyes and nostrils positioned high on the head, allowing it to see and breathe while mostly submerged
- Smooth, small scales adapted for a semi-aquatic lifestyle
- Distinguished from the yellow anaconda by larger size, darker green coloration, and range
Habitat & range
Inhabits slow-moving rivers, swamps, marshes, and flooded forest of the Amazon and Orinoco basins across Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and the Guianas. It spends much of its life in or near water.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Primarily aquatic and largely nocturnal or crepuscular, ambushing prey from the water. Diet includes fish, birds, capybaras, deer, and caimans, subdued by constriction. It is live-bearing, with females giving birth to large litters after a lengthy gestation, often at great physiological cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Northern Green Anaconda venomous?
No, it is a non-venomous constrictor.
How big does the Northern Green Anaconda get?
It can reach lengths of 6 meters (20 feet) or more, with females considerably larger and heavier than males.
Where does the Northern Green Anaconda live?
In the rivers, swamps, and flooded forests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America.
What does the Northern Green Anaconda eat?
Fish, birds, capybaras, deer, and caimans.
Is the Northern Green Anaconda the largest snake in the world?
It is considered the heaviest snake species and among the longest, rivaling the reticulated python in length.
Northern Green Anaconda guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Northern Green Anaconda.
