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Anaconda swallows a man. An anaconda swallowed a man in Discovery's Eaten Alive

There are many myths and legends about the giant anaconda, and sometimes it is difficult to determine where truth ends and fiction begins. And this is all due to the enormous size of this snake, as well as the inaccessibility of its habitats and the hidden way of life of the animal.

The giant anaconda has a number of other names: green or common anaconda, as well as water boa.

Description, vernal appearance of anaconda

This is interesting! The first official mention of the anaconda in work of art found in the story “Chronicles of Peru” by Pedro Cieza de Leon, which was written in 1553. The author claims that this information is reliable and describes the anaconda as a huge snake 20 feet long with a reddish head and angry green eyes. She was subsequently killed and a whole fawn was found in her stomach.

The anaconda is a world fauna, with females growing much larger more males. According to the most reliable and verified information, the usual length of this snake does not exceed 4–5 meters. Swedish zoologist G. Dahl in his diaries describes an animal more than 8 meters long that he caught in Colombia, and his compatriot Ralph Bloomberg describes anacondas 8.5 meters long. But such sizes are rather an exception to the rule, and stories about 11 people caught meter-long anacondas are nothing more than hunting bikes. A case of capture described in 1944 giant anaconda 11 m 40 cm long, modern scientists also classify it as a myth and believe that the size of the snake was greatly exaggerated.

The anaconda's body is pale greenish in color, covered with light brown spots over its entire surface. oval shape, on the sides they alternate with a row of round grayish-yellow markings with a dark edge. This color is ideal camouflage in dense tropical thickets among fallen leaves and snags. IN aquatic environment This coloring also helps the anaconda track prey and hide from enemies among algae and stones.

The anaconda's body consists of a spine and a tail, and the snake's ribs are very flexible and elastic and can bend and straighten strongly when swallowing large prey. The bones of the skull are also elastic, connected to each other by soft ligaments that allow the head to stretch and allow the anaconda to swallow a large animal. The tongue, like that of all snakes, is incredibly sensitive and mobile, it plays important role for studying environment and communication. Hard and dry scales cover the body like armor, protecting it from enemies. The scales are smooth and slippery to the touch, which makes catching an anaconda a very difficult task.. The anaconda sheds its skin at one time in a continuous “stocking”; for this, it actively rubs against stones and snags.

Habitat

Anaconda lives in the humid tropics and reservoirs of South America. Its largest numbers are in Venezuela, Paraguay, Bolivia and Paraguay. Also, the anaconda can often be found in the jungles of Guiana, Guyana and Peru, but due to the fact that the reptile leads a very secretive and inconspicuous lifestyle, its number until now has only an approximate value. Therefore, it is still a problem for scientists to accurately count the number of anacondas in a particular region. The population dynamics are accordingly also poorly monitored and the Red Book states that there is no threat of extinction of the species. According to a number of scientists, the anaconda is not an animal that is in danger of extermination. The anaconda lives in many public and private zoos around the world, but creating comfortable conditions for breeding is very difficult and therefore snakes rarely live up to 20 years in captivity, and average duration life in zoos is short: 7–10 years.

Anaconda is aquatic and lives in quiet and warm waters creeks, rivers and channels. It can also often be found in small lakes of the Amazon basin. Anacondas spend most of their lives in or near water, lying on rocks or in dense tropical thickets, tracking their prey among leaves and snags. Sometimes he likes to bask in sun rays on a hill, occasionally climbs trees. In case of danger, it hides in the nearest body of water and can remain underwater for very long. for a long time. During the dry season, when rivers and canals dry up, anacondas are able to burrow into silt and coastal soil, remaining motionless until the onset of the rainy season.

This is interesting! The structure of the head of this giant snake, its nostrils and eyes are located not on the sides, but on top, and when tracking down prey, the anaconda hides under water, leaving them on the surface. This same property helps to escape from enemies. When diving into the depths, this snake closes its nostrils with special valves.

Despite its gigantic size, the anaconda often becomes a victim of a jaguar or caiman, and a wounded snake can attract the attention of a school of piranhas, which can also attack the weakened animal.

Compared to the boa constrictors we are used to, anacondas are much stronger and more aggressive. They can bite or attack a person, but more often they still prefer not to get involved in a conflict. Left alone with a giant reptile, you need to be very careful and do not provoke the anaconda with loud sounds or sudden movements.

It is important! An adult man can single-handedly cope with an anaconda, the length of which does not exceed 2–3 meters. The strength and musculature of this snake far exceeds the strength of a boa constrictor; it is generally accepted that one coil of the anaconda’s body is several times stronger than one coil of a boa constrictor. There is a widespread myth that these snakes can put a person into a state of hypnosis, this is not true. Like most pythons, the anaconda is not poisonous, but nevertheless its bite can be very painful and dangerous to humans.

Since time immemorial, there have been many myths and legends that describe the anaconda as a predator that often attacks humans. The only officially recorded case of an attack on a person was an attack on a child from an Indian tribe, which can be considered an accident. When a person is in the water, the snake does not see him fully and can easily mistake him for a capybara or a baby deer. Anacondas do not hunt humans, and local Indian tribes often catch anacondas for their tender and tasty meat, and use the skin to make various souvenirs and crafts for tourists.

The famous English zoologist Gerald Durrell describes his hunt for an anaconda and describes it not as a formidable predator, but as an animal that weakly defended itself and did not show aggression. The zoologist caught her by simply grabbing her by the tail and throwing a bag over the head of the “fierce anaconda.” Once in captivity, the snake behaved quite quietly, moved weakly in the bag and hissed quietly. Perhaps she was small and very frightened, which easily explains such “peaceful” behavior.

Nutrition

Anaconda hunts in the water or on the shore, suddenly attacking its prey. As a rule, it feeds on mammals and reptiles big size. Agouti rodents, large waterfowl and fish often fall prey to the giant python. More large anacondas capable of easily swallowing a caiman or capybara, but this does not happen often. A hungry anaconda may, on rare occasions, prey on turtles and other snakes. There is a known case when an anaconda attacked a two-meter python in a zoo.

This huge snake is capable of sitting in ambush for long hours, waiting for the right moment. When the victim approaches a minimum distance, the anaconda makes a lightning-fast throw, grabs the victim and wraps it in the steel grip of its muscular body. Despite popular belief, these snakes, like pythons, do not break the bones of their prey, but strangle it, gradually squeezing it chest and lungs. Often the anaconda crawls into villages and attacks small livestock, even domestic dogs and cats can become its victims. There are known cases of cannibalism among anacondas, when adults attack young animals.

Reproduction

Anacondas lead a solitary lifestyle and gather in groups of several individuals only for the breeding season.. This time usually falls during the wet rainy season, which in the Amazon Valley begins at the end of April. The female marks her tracks with a special substance that contains pheromones and attracts mature males. Several adult animals gather around the female in a huge heap, hiss and start fighting. When mating, like other anaconda snakes, they curl into a tight ball, and the male embraces and holds the female with special rudiments, making specific creaking sounds. Since several males participate in mating at once, it still remains unexplored which of them she prefers, the largest, the youngest, or the one who came first on the “date.”

This is interesting! The fact that before mating the female feeds heavily, since after pregnancy she will not be able to hunt for more than six months. The period of drought can last for a very long time and the pregnant female actively seeks shelter protected from the sun with the remnants of life-giving moisture.

Typically, pregnancy lasts 7 months, after which the female gives birth to up to 40 cubs. Anaconda refers to viviparous snakes and after giving birth, along with the living offspring, she throws out undeveloped embryos and eats them along with the dead cubs, thereby providing herself with some energy until the time when she can go hunting again. After birth, small anacondas are already completely independent and soon crawl away in search of small prey. Most of the babies die, becoming victims of small predators and crocodiles, but up to half of the offspring can reach adulthood.

Anaconda's enemies

The anaconda has many enemies, and the main ones among them are caimans, who also live in rivers and channels and lead a similar lifestyle. Also, anacondas are often hunted by pumas and jaguars; young or weakened animals often fall prey to predators during periods of drought, as well as males who have lost strength after mating. But the main enemy of the anaconda remains the person who hunts giant snakes for fun and entertainment. Anaconda skin is also highly prized among tourists, making it attractive to poachers.

This is interesting! A small Paraguayan anaconda can be bought from private sellers; its price depends on the size and ranges from 10–20 thousand rubles.

Incredible facts

Scientist Paul Rosolie(Paul Rosolie) recently announced his determination to become prey for the giant anaconda.

On the air of the program " Eaten alive"Discovery TV channel, a 27-year-old naturalist, dressed in a special suit, was supposed to swallow a 6-meter anaconda.

Anacondas this size can easily eat large mammals such as jaguars, deer and pigs.

Experts have developed special suit, which would protect a person from the teeth of a snake, as well as pressure and stomach acid. In addition, he was equipped with a camera and microphone to communicate with the team, and the scientist swallowed a capsule that monitored his vital signs.

Anaconda ate a man (video)

The only thing that experts could not predict was that the anaconda would not be at all interested in eating a person dressed in such a costume. Moreover, when Rosolie tried to approach the anaconda for the first time, it got scared and tried to crawl away.

Only, when the naturalist decided to provoke the animal, the snake attacked, squeezing its victim.

The snake coiled itself around a man covered in pig blood to make himself more appetizing to the predator. The anaconda began to swallow his head and as it squeezed, Rosolie began to feel his arm breaking.

The naturalist was not ready for such a turn and immediately called for help.

In the film, Rosolie compares the strength of an anaconda to the strength of an entire team of horses. " The last thing I remembered was her mouth open, and then everything went black", he said.

Many the audience was disappointed long-awaited filming, and environmentalists expressed their outrage, considering the experiment cruel.

However, as the naturalist himself explained, the purpose of the stunt was to raise funds to save anaconda habitats in South America and the animal was not harmed.

The biggest anaconda

· Anaconda is considered the heaviest snake in the world. Its weight can reach 250 kg, which is almost 3 times the average weight of a person.

· The longest big anaconda can reach about 9 meters, A average length is 6 meters.

· Anacondas are not poisonous, but they are skilled predators. They hunt their prey (pigs, tapirs, caimans and fish, sometimes jaguars) using vision and heat sensors.

· Anacondas attack in a matter of seconds, and as soon as the animal is in the grip, they wrap themselves in rings around it, suffocating or crushing the victim.

· Anacondas typically live in wetlands and rivers, and they are excellent swimmers.

· Exists 4 types of anacondas: green anaconda, yellow anaconda, spotted anaconda and the recently discovered Bolivian anaconda. They all live in South America.

Do anacondas eat people? Interest Ask is not it? How to find the answer to it? Well... there is one way - to face it face to face and wait... And there are only 2 options, which depend on whether you end up inside the snake or not.

Researcher Paul Rosolie volunteered for a, to put it mildly, unusual Discovery Channel experiment called Eaten Alive, during which he was swallowed by an anaconda.

Rosolie, who spent about an hour inside the anaconda, explained that main goal his experiment was to draw attention to the problem of extinction tropical forests Amazonia.

“The last thing I remember is the wide open mouth of the snake, which hangs over my face. After that, everything went dark,” the researcher said.

In total, Rosolie spent about an hour inside the snake. The researcher did not specify how he got out of the snake.

After the publication of the announcement of the experiment, activists from the organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) condemned the actions of the authors of the program. Commenting on PETA's statements, Rosoli said he appreciates the organization's concern for the snake's health. He clarified that the anaconda survived the experiment and feels well.

We bring to your attention an interview with the fearless scientist.

— Paul, tell us about the design of the protective suit. He looks quite impressive.

“We needed a very strong structure to protect my body from the anaconda’s suffocating embrace. So we made the suit out of carbon fiber. To test its durability, we tested the suit using... trucks. Or rather, with the help of winches that are installed on them. We pressed on the shell with a force of up to 300 pounds per square inch (about 21 atmospheres, with such force a bulldog's jaws hold their prey - author), but it remained intact. We said, okay, let's try to break his bones. And they turned on the winch at full power. But we couldn’t crush the suit. This made me feel confident that I would be safe. To protect my hands from the anaconda's teeth, I used very durable shark scales. The body suit was coated with a special chemical layer that would protect me from the anaconda's stomach acid in case I ended up in its stomach. And before the experiment, I swallowed a pill that transmitted the parameters of my pulse and temperature to the doctors. Incredibly high technology was used to create the suit.

- How were you going to breathe inside the anaconda?

— I was wearing a diving mask built into the helmet. The breathing tube was attached to my body. It went through the back, then the leg, and in the heel area it was connected to a shock-resistant hose. So I knew the air supply would be fine.

Anaconda is the largest reptile that lives on the planet. These huge snakes call if not panic fear, then outright panic. Weight 150 kilograms and length 10 meters - these are not fantastic fragments from an adventure book, these are real facts. What is the largest anaconda in the world recorded today, and what reward awaits the brave man who catches a snake more than 10 meters?

Giants of the animal world: descendants of ancient snakes

Ancient books mention powerful and great snakes that are capable of swallowing a person and even digesting a healthy bull. Evolutionary biologists are still debating the origins of reptiles.

Some believe that the snake originated from reptiles, while others refute this fact, expressing an opinion about the relationship between the snake known today and the ancient aquatic descendant. Huge ancient fossils on display in museums are comparable in size school bus. The findings and assumptions of many biologists and scientists still remain the subject of debate and hypotheses that still await scientific confirmation or refutation.

Big secrets: what is known about anacondas today?

Thanks to existing facts, myths turn into frightening reality. Deadly dangerous predator With powerful muscles, a forked tongue for tracking down prey, and strong, curved teeth for capturing food, it is the largest carnivorous reptile on the planet, the anaconda.

The snake's habitat is in hard-to-reach places in Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Paraguay. Low-flow areas of the Amazon River and lakes in the Orinoco Basin provide anacondas with the opportunity to catch even large cattle. Snakes lead an aquatic lifestyle, but can easily move on land.

The lack of information and little knowledge of the existing population of snakes does not provide the opportunity to more accurately establish some facts: how many individuals live in the world, what is their life expectancy in wildlife, and how realistic are the claims about the existence of individuals larger than 20 meters. It is known that females are three times larger than males, their size and mass allow them to capture larger prey, and the eaten porcupine can be digested for about a week.

There are three known species of anacondas:

giant anaconda;
ordinary;
green.

The snake lies in wait for the victim, as a rule, near a pond. Favorite treat– iguanas, waterfowl and turtles. Cases of cannibalism for a snake - characteristic feature. At the zoo, an anaconda strangled and ate a 3-meter python, which was in the same terrarium with it.

Anaconda and man

Man and his way of life attract reptiles. Cases have been recorded when the female showed interest in small children, dogs and pets. The reptile is considered dangerous when meeting a person in the water. Here her agility and strength doubles. While on land the anaconda is quite apathetic towards humans. Cases when an anaconda attacks a person are rare and are considered an exception rather than a pattern. When meeting a person, the anaconda opens its large mouth, trying to scare. The snake perceives a person as a predator, not food.

Cases of encounters between a man and an anaconda described in books are classified as “legends.” Since there are no reliable facts and documents confirming the existence of a snake larger than 10 meters. A common story, described in detail in books, concerns 1944, when geologists caught an anaconda measuring 11 meters and 43 centimeters in the jungles of Colombia. Until now, reptiles with these sizes have not been found. A special reward of $50,000 (established in America) awaits the brave person who catches and delivers an anaconda measuring more than 9 meters and 12 centimeters.

Huge death machine - South American anaconda

The anaconda has the punching power of a heavyweight boxer, group the most powerful muscles, which wrap around the victim and kill without the slightest drop of poison. The victim dies from suffocation. The main advantage of a reptile is its weight and muscles; by wrapping itself around the victim, the snake does not allow the victim to breathe. After the anaconda feels that the victim is being strangled, it is time to eat. Large and curved teeth swallow and push food, and the reptile's throat stretches to impressive sizes at the moment of swallowing.

The largest anaconda in the world lives today at the Zoological Society of New York. Length and weight are listed as: 9 meters in length and 130 kg live weight. Statements about the capture of a specimen larger than 15 meters today have no confirmation. In nature, anacondas are found 4-5 meters long. Large reptiles– a rarity.

Weaknesses of the Intimidating Reptile

The natural habitat for anacondas is ponds with large thickets. Here the hunt for prey takes place, stocking up on the required amount of fat for bearing offspring. Increased appetite is typical for anacondas during the premarital period. Female absorbs a large number of food, because during pregnancy (7 months) she will not eat food. Bearing offspring for some snakes ends tragically: death from starvation at the end of the term is a common occurrence.

The process of eating food is also considered a dangerous moment for the life of a reptile. After all, at this moment the snake is defenseless against a potential enemy, and if another predator sees it while swallowing food, most likely the snake itself will become a victim. If we take into account this distinctive feature Since the duration of ingestion is more than 5 hours, there is plenty of time for the snake to be absorbed by the predator. The reptile becomes a victim of an attack by a jaguar, caiman or a school of piranhas in a pond.

Queen of Snakes: Interesting Facts

Anaconda is a snake that was considered little studied until the 20th century. Scientists, trying to find out some of the features of the reptile’s life and activity, moved for several years to live in places where it aggregated. Every new fact- news in the world of science.

Today the following is known about the anaconda:

the female is larger and stronger than the male;
scientific name – Eunectes;
anaconda is the most “water-loving” snake;
the snake strangles the victim until it feels the heartbeat;
the teeth serve as a means of capturing the victim, the main power of the reptile is its muscles;
females give birth to live fry, while other reptiles lay eggs;
number of descendants – 25-30;
from one brood, only 20-30% of individuals survive up to a year;
at the beginning of the mating season, the female anaconda spreads a smell in the air that attracts the male;
eyes and nostrils are located at the top of the head;
growth does not stop throughout life;
life expectancy in captivity is 5 years, in nature – 35-40;
acids can dissolve even large bones;
After a reptile defecates, it is impossible to tell which animal was eaten.

The largest anaconda in the world, which was caught and measured by a person, is not considered an indicator. After all, it is known that the length of a reptile in the wild can reach 15 and more meters. Famous scientists facts understanding changes every year real parameters this giant. Perhaps in a few years it will be installed new record the longest snake in the world. After all, climate changes on the planet and a decrease in the number of reservoirs only contribute to the growth of this population. Every year the length of the anaconda increases.

Scientist Paul Rosolie recently announced his determination to become prey for the giant anaconda. On Discovery Channel's Eaten Alive, a 27-year-old naturalist dressed in...

Scientist Paul Rosolie recently announced his determination to become prey for the giant anaconda.

On the Discovery Channel's "Eat Alive" program, a 27-year-old naturalist dressed in a special suit was supposed to be swallowed by a 6-meter anaconda.

Anacondas of this size can easily eat large mammals such as jaguars, deer and pigs.

Experts have developed a special suit that would protect a person from the teeth of a snake, as well as pressure and stomach acid. In addition, he was equipped with a camera and microphone to communicate with the team, and the scientist swallowed a capsule that monitored his vital signs.

Only when the naturalist decided to provoke the animal, the snake attacked, squeezing its victim.

The naturalist was not prepared for such a turn and immediately called for help.

In the film, Rosolie compares the strength of an anaconda to the strength of an entire team of horses. “The last thing I remembered was her mouth being open, and then everything went black,” he said.

Many viewers were disappointed by the long-awaited filming, and environmentalists expressed their outrage, considering the experiment cruel.

However, as the naturalist himself explained, the purpose of the stunt was to raise funds to save anaconda habitats in South America, and the animal was not harmed.

· Anaconda is considered the heaviest snake in the world. Its weight can reach 250 kg, which is almost 3 times more than the average human weight.

· The largest anaconda can reach about 9 meters in length, and the average length is 6 meters.

· Anacondas are not poisonous, but they are skilled predators. They hunt their prey (pigs, tapirs, caimans and fish, sometimes jaguars) using vision and heat sensors.

· Anacondas attack in a matter of seconds, and once the animal is in the grip, they wrap themselves in rings around it, suffocating or crushing the victim.

· Anacondas typically live in wetlands and rivers, and they are excellent swimmers.

· There are 4 species of anacondas: green anaconda, yellow anaconda, spotted anaconda and the newly discovered Bolivian anaconda. They all live in South America.

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