The size of the Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)

[GuateGojira]

Captive anacondas:

Wood (1978) and Boos (2001) present the length and weight of some captive specimens. This will be useful for future comparisons:

Wood (1978):
1. Female of 628 cm (20 ft 7 in) from the Highland Park Zoological Gardens, Pennsylvania, USA. This seems reliable.

2. Specimen of 8 m (26 ft 3 in) from the Rio de Janeiro Zoo, Brazil. However, Mr. P. J. Davey (British Vice-Consul in Rio) says that the snake in question actually measured only 5 m (16 ft 5 in). So, it is unreliable, at least in the first figure.

Boos (2001):
1. A large female named “Big Annie”, of 579 cm (19 ft), 91.4 cm (36 in) in girth and a weight of 236 lb. (107 kg), housed in the Bronx Park Zoo. However Harper & Row (1972) point out that this weight is not “real” per se, as she latter give birth to 72 youngsters. Pg. 71-71.

2. Another large female of 518 cm (17 ft) gives birth to 34 young. It is no say where she was housed. Pg. 71.

3. A captive specimen of 528 cm (17 ft 4 in) is reported. Pg. 80.

4. Finally, there is a female of 503 cm (16 ft 6 in) that weighed 232 lb (105.2 kg), but there is no mention of the place where these last specimens were housed. Pg. 80.

Here is the picture of the snake named “Big Annie”:

*This image is copyright of its original author

This data suggest that female anacondas in captivity reach similar length than those of the wild, although slightly larger body mass. The length recorded range from 503-628 cm and the weights are of 105 – 107 kg, including newborns.

I think this is enough information to form us a good opinion about the real size of the anaconda.

You can post your own data to enrich the conversation.

Greetings to all. :)

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