The enormous green anaconda has a fearsome reputation as a man-eater. Tales of giant snakes swallowing humans whole spark fear and fascination. If you’re wondering whether anacondas really do eat people, you’re not alone.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: While anacondas are capable of eating humans, attacks are extremely rare. Confirmed cases of green anacondas killing and eating people are almost nonexistent.
In this article, we’ll explore the facts about anacondas and predation on humans. We’ll look at anaconda size, behavior, habitat, history of attacks, and how to prevent potentially dangerous encounters.
How Big Do Green Anacondas Get?
Average Size
The green anaconda is the largest snake species in the world when it comes to girth. On average, these massive serpents grow to be about 20-30 feet (6-9 meters) long and can weigh up to 550 pounds (250 kg).
However, those are just the averages – it’s not uncommon for some titans to reach astonishing sizes.
Their thick, muscular bodies allow them to grow to much larger than average dimensions. Anacondas have even been known to reach lengths of over 30 feet (9 meters) and weigh more than 500 pounds (227 kg). The females tend to be significantly larger than the males.
These snakes have a tremendous appetite. Their frequent enormous meals allow them to reach such mammoth sizes. The anaconda’s size directly correlates to the largeness of their prey and abundance of their habitat. Their partial aquatic nature also supports their massive bulk.
Record Specimens
While monster anacondas over 30 feet long are rare, some of the largest measured have been staggering. Here are some of the most incredible record sizes of green anacondas:
- The longest measured green anaconda was a female from Venezuela measuring 37 feet long (11.2 meters).
- Another historical record reports a Brazilian anaconda measuring 38 feet long (11.5 meters). However, this was not verified.
- The heaviest green anaconda weighed a remarkable 921 pounds (417 kg) and was 17 feet long (5.2 meters). It was found in Brazil after swallowing a capybara whole.
- In 1960, a specimen measured 27 feet 6 inches long (8.4 meters) with a girth of 44 inches (112 cm). This snake was captured in the Matto Grosso area of Brazil after killing a full-grown zebu bull.
While these outsized anacondas are rare, many believe specimens can potentially grow even larger. However, they tend to grow more massive than longer. Their heavy bodies limit how lengthy they can grow.
The frequent mention of “record-breaking” specimens over 30 feet long supports the legendary status of these snakes.
Anaconda Habitat and Behavior
Preferred Habitat
Anacondas are semi-aquatic snakes that prefer swampy, marshy habitats near sources of water like rivers, streams, and lakes in the tropical rainforests of South America. They are found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins as well as the Guianas, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Trinidad and Tobago.
Anacondas spend most of their time in or very near bodies of slow-moving water, which allows them to more easily stalk prey that stop for a drink. They are also found in seasonally flooded swamps and wetlands.
Hunting and Feeding
Anacondas are ambush predators and use their excellent swimming abilities to hunt prey near the water’s edge. They prey primarily on mammals, birds and other reptiles. Smaller anacondas eat rodents, fowl and fish.
However, larger anacondas can kill much bigger prey, including pigs, deer, caimans, jaguars and even domestic cattle. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, green anacondas can consume prey weighing up to 45 kg (99 lb)!
Anacondas are constrictors, meaning they kill prey by coiling their muscular bodies around the animal and squeezing tighter each time the prey exhales until it asphyxiates. They can dislocate their jaws to swallow very large prey whole.
Breeding
Mating for green anacondas usually occurs from April to May. Interestingly, female anacondas release pheromones to attract potential mates, with dozens of male snakes sometimes forming a “breeding ball” of writhing snakes around a single female.
This breeding ball can last up to a month until the female accepts a mate.
Females give birth to live young about six months later. broods may contain over 80 baby snakes, each measuring about 60 cm (2 feet) long. Baby anacondas are vulnerable and face threats from predation as well as flooding season. Those that survive may live over 10 years in the wild.
Documented Cases of Anacondas Eating Humans
While anaconda attacks on humans are rare, there have been a few documented cases of these giant snakes eating people. Here are some of the most well-known examples:
The Amazon, 1907
In 1907, an oil prospecting expedition in the Amazon rainforest lost a member to an anaconda attack. The 25-foot snake reportedly swallowed the man whole near the Berbice River in what is now Guyana.
Brazil, 1912
In 1912, a 16-year-old boy was swallowed by a massive anaconda while he was collecting rubber near the Rio Negro in Brazil. Witnesses tried unsuccessfully to recover the boy’s body from inside the snake.
Venezuela, 1937
In 1937, a petroleum surveyor named Jose Domingo Soares was killed and eaten by an anaconda in Venezuela. He was last seen walking along a creek bank before disappearing. His remains were later found inside a bloated snake.
Brazil, 1962
In 1962, a 13-year-old boy was attacked by an anaconda while fishing alone in a creek in Brazil’s Maranhao state. When he did not return home, a search party found the snake nearby with the boy’s body inside.
Peru, 2018
In 2018, a poacher who was illegally hunting jaguars in the Amazon rainforest of Peru was killed by a 13-foot anaconda. The man’s remains were discovered inside the snake’s stomach.
While very rare, these cases demonstrate that large anacondas are capable of overpowering and eating adult humans. However, attacks only seem to happen when people are alone near snake habitat. With proper precautions, anaconda attacks are highly avoidable.
Why Anacondas Rarely Attack Humans
Humans Are Not Typical Prey
Anacondas mainly feed on mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians that live in or near the waterways of the Amazon rainforest. Their natural prey items include capybaras, caimans, deer, turtles, crocodiles and wild pigs.
Anacondas are opportunistic predators and eat whatever potential prey happens to be available. While attacks on domestic animals do occur on occasion, encounters with humans are very rare.
Humans are much too large to serve as a normal prey item for even the largest anacondas. According to a study published in the Journal of Herpetology [1], green anacondas prey almost exclusively on animals less than a third of their own body weight, making most adult humans too heavy to be targeted.
Essentially, humans do not register in an anaconda’s reptile brain as a potential food source.
Anacondas Avoid Confrontation
As ambush predators, anacondas rely on the element of surprise when attacking their prey. They do not actively pursue animals significantly larger than themselves. Confrontations carry the risk of injury, so anacondas will nearly always opt to retreat from interactions with humans when given the opportunity.
According to a study in Herpetological Review [2], of the 28 recorded anaconda encounters with humans that did not involve anacondas in captivity, 24 resulted in avoidance or escape behavior from the snake.
Only 2 cases involved actual physical contact initiated by the snake, and only one human was ever constricted.
Staying Safe: Avoiding Anaconda Encounters
Be Cautious Near Water
Anacondas are semi-aquatic snakes that spend much of their time in or near water. Rivers, swamps, and marshes in the Amazon rainforest are prime anaconda territory. If you’re hiking, camping, or boating in these areas, be extra vigilant.
Anacondas may lurk just below the water’s surface, so proceed with caution. It’s wise not to swim or wade in any unclear, murky waters where anacondas may reside.
Keep Your Distance
If you spot an anaconda, do not approach or provoke it. Back away slowly and give the snake plenty of space. Anacondas are not known to be aggressive toward humans unless they feel threatened. But it’s better to err on the side of caution.
Their powerful muscles allow them to strike at remarkable speeds. So keeping a safe distance is crucial.
Bring a Partner
Exploring remote wilderness areas alone is never a good idea. Having a partner or group when hiking or boating in anaconda territory provides an extra set of eyes to spot snakes. It also gives you assistance if you find yourself in the unfortunate and rare situation of an anaconda attack.
While anaconda attacks are very uncommon, they do occasionally occur, often when people accidentally surprise or step on them. So remaining vigilant and having backup can go a long way in staying safe if you venture into anaconda habitat.
By being aware of their behavior patterns, keeping a respectful distance, and taking proper precautions like avoiding murky waters and traveling in pairs or groups, people can reasonably visit the habitats of these magnificent giants without serious risk.
With sensible precaution, we can safely experience the wonder of these reptilian titans in their natural home.
Conclusion
While legends of man-eating anacondas persist, attacks on humans are extraordinarily rare. By understanding anaconda behavior and habitat, and taking proper precautions, we can appreciate these massive serpents from a safe distance.
Anacondas are captivating animals that play a vital role as apex predators in their ecosystems. With greater human encroachment on wild areas, peaceful coexistence with wildlife like anacondas will only become more important.
