The largest snake in the world was found in the wilds of the Amazon. The 26-foot-long (almost 8 m) reptile has a head the size of a human and weighs a whopping 440 pounds (about 200 kg). An incredible discovery made in Brazil was shared by professor and TV presenter Frick Vonk, reports The Sun.
The northern green anaconda that Professor Vonk saw turned out to be a real giant among snakes. Its size exceeded all expectations and ideas of how gigantic these creatures could be.
Compared to other species, such as the reticulated python, which was considered the largest until now (with an average length of 6 meters 5 inches), one can understand how amazing the discovery was made by the scientist.
“Green anacondas that occur in South America – in Venezuela, Suriname and French Guiana – apparently belong to a completely different species.
Although they look almost the same at first glance, the genetic difference between them is 5.5%, which is a lot. For example, humans and chimpanzees differ genetically by only 2% from each other,” Vonk explains.
He named the new species Eunectes akayima, which is Latin for “Northern green anaconda.” The word “akayima” comes from the indigenous languages of northern South America and means “great snake”. Such a name, in his opinion, should reflect the greatness and importance of this reptile species in the natural world.
The world’s largest snake has been discovered in the Amazon rainforest: the Northern Green Anaconda is 8 meters long and weighs 200 kg – and its head is the same size as a human’s. pic.twitter.com/XlaDk0qVYt
— Denn Dunham (@DennD68) February 21, 2024
“I have been studying the anaconda for 32 years, so the question is how many new species are there that we don’t know about.
If such an iconic animal has gone unnoticed for so many years, what about less visible and less studied animals and plants? This discovery makes us think about the true diversity of South America,” says Wonka’s colleague, Professor Rivas.
In the video, researchers showed the amazing creature in all its grandeur. The anaconda, as thick as a car tire, evokes both horror and admiration.