Green Anaconda
The green anaconda is one of the largest snakes in the world. It is also the heaviest snake species. Green anacondas can grow to be over 30 feet long and weigh up to 550 pounds. They are olive-green with black spots along their sides, two dark stripes from their eyes to their jaw and yellow and black scales on their bellies that assist with swimming. As well as, sharp recurved teeth. The green anacondas jaw is loosely connected and stretchy allowing them to swallow animals larger than their head.
Anacondas are opportunistic carnivores, meaning they primarily eat meat but will take advantage of any food source available, depending on the situation. They are also apex predators. Their diet can include: mammals, like capybara and rodents. As well as reptiles, birds and fish. The size of the prey depends on the age and size of the anaconda. Anacondas are ambush predators. They lie and wait for their prey in or around the water. As well as use their strong bodies to constrict their victims, cutting off blood flow and causing asphyxiation . Green anacondas feed on the animals that come to drink the water from where it resides.
Green Anacondas live in the tropical rainforests, near slow moving bodies of water and thick vegetation. They enjoy marshes, swamps, streams and rivers. They are aquatic and mostly nocturnal animals. Anacondas ‘’float’’ at the surface of the water where only the snouts are visible . They will also burrow them selves in mud patches.They are excellent swimmers and can remain almost completely submerged while waiting for prey.
Green anacondas spend most of their time in or near water, swimming lurking and resting. In the wild anacondas live about 10 years on average. They are very solitary snakes that like to be on their own most of their life span. When they find their mate , it is usually during the dry season, from March to May. They form a mating “ball” of up to 13 snakes, where the males compete for access to the females. Females are bigger and stronger than males. The female may eat one or more of the males to gain nutrients for their offspring. Females give birth to 20-40 , 2 ft long babies that can almost immediately swim out and hunt.