The Green Anaconda

The green anaconda is one of the heaviest and longest snakes in the world. They can measure between 10 and 30 feet long and weigh up to 500 pounds! Females are usually bigger than males. Green anacondas live near swamps, marshes and slow-moving streams in the Amazon Rainforest in South America. They are a dark olive green, almost brown color with black spots and orange/yellow stripes on the sides of their heads. Its colors help it camouflage with its habitat. The scales on the underside of a green anaconda's tail are unique to each snake. 

Green anacondas are carnivores and eat mammals, birds and other reptiles. They are known to eat very large prey like capybaras, deer and even crocodiles! They are non-venomous snakes, so they squeeze and swallow their prey. They can go weeks or months without eating after a big meal! A green anaconda's eyes and nose are located on top of their head, allowing them to hunt while mostly hidden under water. Green anacondas are amphibious, meaning they spend time on land and in water, although they move much more easily in the water. In fact, the green anaconda's scientific name is derived from a Greek word meaning "good swimmer." While green anacondas are mostly solitary animals, a group of green anacondas is called a "knot" or a "bed."

Cool Fact: While many snakes lay eggs, green anacondas give birth to live young! Females can have 20 to 40 babies at a time that each measure 2 to 3 feet long.