# Anaconda (*Eunectes murinus*) The Anaconda is one of the largest snakes in the world! They are excellent swimmers and love to live in water. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 4/5 · High - **Habitat:** Swamps and rivers - **Also known as:** Green Anaconda, Water Boa ![Anaconda](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426922/objects/5673.jpg) ## Appearance The Anaconda is an enormous, thick-bodied snake, typically greenish-brown with large oval black spots along its back and smaller white-centered spots on its sides. Its powerful, muscular build gives it a distinctively heavy appearance compared to other long snakes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Serpentes - **Family:** Boidae - **Genus:** Eunectes ## Interesting facts - Anaconda mothers give birth to live baby snakes, not eggs! - Their skin sheds in one piece, revealing brighter colors underneath! - They are the heaviest snakes on Earth, weighing more than a small car! - They can go months without eating after a single, huge meal. ## Special abilities - **Watery Hunter:** Anaconda has eyes and nostrils positioned on top of its head that helps them stay submerged and hidden while hunting prey. - **Heat Seeker Sense:** Anaconda has special heat-sensing pits around its mouth that helps them detect warm-blooded prey, even in total darkness. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 500-900 cm - **Weight:** 30-250 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 2 km/h - **Swim Speed:** 15 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 20-75 - **Maximum Depth:** 10 m ## Diet & Feeding These giant snakes eat almost any animal they can catch, often swallowing prey whole! - **Age differences:** Young anacondas eat smaller prey like rodents and frogs before tackling larger animals. - **Primary Foods:** Capybara, Caiman, Fish, Birds, Deer - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Capybara](https://www.snappit.app/explore/capybara) (*Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris*) — A favorite meal for its large size. - **Hunts:** [Spectacled Caiman](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spectacled-caiman) (*Caiman crocodilus*) — Hunts these reptiles, especially smaller ones. - **Hunts:** Lowland Tapir (*Tapirus terrestris*) — Anacondas can overpower these large mammals. - **Eaten by:** [Harpy Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/harpy-eagle) (*Harpia harpyja*) — Juvenile anacondas are vulnerable to this powerful bird. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) - [Reptiles & Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles-and-amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 4/5 · High Look but don’t touch. Keep a safe distance and wash hands after exploring. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Anaconda? Compare the full body pattern, build, head markings and tail. Color can shift with age and lighting. Rules of thumb about triangular heads or round pupils aren't a reliable way to tell whether a snake is venomous. Snake Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Anaconda? 500-900 cm ### How much does Anaconda weigh? 30-250 kg ### How long does Anaconda live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Anaconda move? 2 km/h ### What does Anaconda eat? These giant snakes eat almost any animal they can catch, often swallowing prey whole! ### How fast can Anaconda swim? 15 km/h ### Where is Anaconda usually found? Swamps and rivers ## Where to spot - [Cotswold Wildlife Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cotswold-wildlife-park) — England, GB · Zoo - [Henry Vilas Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/henry-vilas-zoo) — Wisconsin, US · Zoo - [Roger Williams Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/roger-williams-park-zoo) — Rhode Island, US · Zoo - [Staten Island Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/staten-island-zoo) — New York, US · Zoo - [Boston Aquarial and Zoological Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boston-aquarial-and-zoological-gardens) — Massachusetts, US · Zoo - [Barnum's Aquarial Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barnums-aquarial-gardens) — Massachusetts, US · Zoo [View all places to see Anaconda](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/anaconda) ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Anaconda: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/anaconda)