Anaconda - Synonym for sheer power!

Anaconda lifting the full grown Kangaroo(I guess) from water on to the ledge, holding with its jaw. Click on the above picture to see details.

I think I have mentioned earlier that I have an unknown interest and liking towards snakes. I can watch hours and hours of documentaries and programs about snakes on TV. Getting close to a live wild snake(though it was a small one) couple of months back was my dream come true.

Of all the snakes the Anacondas are the ones which intrigue me the most. Their size, power, patience and dexterity knocks me off my feet.

Anacondas are four species of aquatic boa inhabiting the swamps and rivers of the dense forests of tropical South America. The Yellow Anaconda can be found as far south as Argentina.

Anacondas in the wild spend most of their time in rivers hunting for their food. They are solitary creatures that are thought to be somewhat shy and not many of them are easily seen. They are very well camouflaged in the swamps and bogs in which they thrive. There are some historical reports of early European explorers of the South American jungles seeing giant anacondas up to 110 feet long and some of the native peoples of the South American jungle have reported seeing anacondas up to 50 feet long, although there has been no recorded evidence of anacondas of those sizes having been caught. It is important to note that when a dead anaconda's hide or skin is laid out it can be stretched very easily, expanding to much longer lengths than the snake exhibited when alive. Reports of outsize anacondas that cannot be verified are often due to distortions in perception, or a snake skin being disproportionately stretched and inaccurately measured.

It should be noted that the Wildlife Conservation Society has, since the early 20Th century, offered a large cash reward (now grown to $50,000 USD) for live delivery of any snake of 30 feet or more in length. The prize has never been claimed. Also, in a study of 1000 wild anacondas in Brazil, the largest captured was 17 feet long.