Giant anaconda

Reports of giant anaconda date back as far as the discovery of South America when sightings of snakes upwards of 11 meters (33.5 ft) began to circulate amongst colonists and the topic has been a subject of debate ever since among cryptozoologists and zoologists. Anacondas normally only grow to size of convert|6|m|ft,Soomro, A. 2001. "Eunectes murinus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed January 10, 2008 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Eunectes_murinus.html] [http://www.kidzone.ws/lw/snakes/facts-anaconda.htm] and 250 kilos in weight, but tales of truly gigantic specimens persist. Indeed, although some python species can grow longer in length,cite book|last=Weldon|first=Kevin|title=Encyclopedia of Animals: Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians|year=1993|publisher=Reader's Digest Association Inc|location=Sydney, Australia|isbn=1-8755137-49-1|pages=489] the anaconda, particularly the Green Anaconda, is the heaviest and largest in terms of diameter of all snakes, and is often considered the biggest snake in the world. It is not uncommon for a fully grown anaconda to attack and kill a panther or crocodile. Yet, despite the snake's large size, almost no specimens above the size of convert|35|ft|m have been captured, and anacondas of this proportion are considered cryptids.

The first recorded sightings of giant anacondas were from the time of the discovery of South America, when early European explorers entered the dense jungles there and claimed to have seen giant snakes measuring up to convert|60|ft|m long. [http://www.extremescience.com/BiggestSnake.htm Extreme Science: Which is the Biggest Snake?] . Accessed January 10, 2008.] Natives also reported seeing anacondas upwards of convert|50|ft|m to convert|60|ft|m. It is unquestionable that anacondas above convert|30|ft|m|abbr=on in length are rare; the Wildlife Conservation Society has, since the early 20th century, offered a large cash reward (currently worth US$50,000) for live delivery of any snake of convert|30|ft|m or more in length, but the prize has never been claimed despite the numerous sightings of giant anacondas. In a survey of 1,000 wild anacondas in Brazil, the largest captured was convert|17|ft|m long, far short of the length required. [. [http://ca.encarta.msn.com/encnet/Features/Columns/?article=sciencesnakes The Search for the $50,000 Snake] ]

A specimen measured in 1944 exceeded this size when a petroleum expedition in Colombia claimed to have measured an anaconda which was 37.5 ft (11.43 m) in length, but this has never been proven. [Krystek, Lee. [http://www.unmuseum.org/bigsnake.htm The Unmuseum: Big Snakes] . Accessed January 10, 2008.] Scientist Vincent Roth also claimed to have shot and killed a convert|10.3|m|ft specimen, but like most other claims, this has never been proven. Another claim of an extraordinarily large anaconda was made by adventurer Percy Fawcett. During his 1906 expedition, Fawcett wrote that he had shot an anaconda that measured some convert|62|ft|m from nose to tail. [Justice, Aaron. [http://www.cryptozoology.com/cryptids/anaconda.php Cryptozoology: Sucuriju Gigante] Accessed January 10, 2008.] Once published, Fawcett’s account was widely ridiculed. Decades later, Belgian zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans came to Fawcett's defense, arguing that Fawcett's writing was generally honest and reliable. [ [http://www.trueauthority.com/cryptozoology/anaconda.htm Section Bernard Heuvelmans] . Accessed January 10, 2008.] Historian Mike Dash writes of claims of still larger anacondas, alleged to be as long as 30–45 m (100–150 ft)Dash, Mike "Borderlands: The Ultimate Exploration of the Unknown"; Overlook Press, 2000, ISBN 0-87951-724-7.] — some of the sightings supported with photos (although those photos lack scale). Dash notes that if a 50–60 ft anaconda strains credulity, then a 150 ft long specimen is generally regarded as an outright impossibility.There could be a few legendary giants out there but these would have to be extremely rare, possibly reaching lengths of over 45 to possibly convert|50|ft|m.

Recently an anaconda snake measuring over six meters and weighing nearly 200 kilos was captured in the backyard of an abandoned house in Parana, Brazil. [George, Pavithra. [http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=71798&videoChannel=4 Reuters: 440-pound snake found in Brazil house] . Accessed January 10, 2008.]

In fiction

Perhaps the most well known and defining portrayal of giant anaconda in popular fiction is the 1997 film "Anaconda", which featured a giant anaconda hunting and killing several crew members from National Geographic, and its sequel "". Another two sequels are planned for the future. [Morgan, David. [http://filmwad.com/-i-anacondas-3-i-and-i-4-i-on-the-way-4811-p.html Anaconda 3 and 4 on the way] . Accessed on January 10, 2008.]

Footnotes