The Biggest Snake

Rhett A. Butler / mongabay.com
The Biggest Snake: Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)

Reaching up to 30 feet, weighing up to 550 pounds, and growing up to a foot thick, the green anaconda is the world’s biggest snake. Anacondas live in the swamps, streams, and marshes of the Amazon basin in South America. Although slow on land, green anacondas are fast in water, and can stay almost completely underwater since their eyes and nose openings are on the tops of their heads. Anacondas eat everything from wild pigs and deer to jaguars and turtles. Since their jaws are attached to stretchy ligaments, the anaconda can swallow its prey whole, no matter how big. Although not officially evaluated yet by the IUCN, the green anaconda faces two main threats today. First is from deforestation, which has destroy much of the snake’s habitat. Second is the illegal international pet trade, which takes the green anaconda out of the wild and sells it to become someone’s pet.

Reptiles / Snake (Squamata)

By



FAQs

  • May I use graphics from mongabay.com for my projects? Yes, you may provided that you don't remove the mongabay label from the images. You may use information from the site for class projects and can cite mongabay as the source.
  • Where can I learn more about rainforests? Check the main rainforest site.
  • Is this web site credible? Mongabay is the world's most popular source for information on tropical forests. The site is highly acclaimed by a number of the world's leading tropical scientists. See more answers at our frequently asked questions page.