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The size of the Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
The size of the Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
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The size of the Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
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The magic and mystery of the anaconda had captivated the mind of zoologists and explorers of all times. However, a basic data of this animal, its size, had transform it in a legend of the natural world.
This post will try to reveal the reliable data about this animal, in order to get the most accurate idea of "how large can be an anaconda". Enjoy and participate. Remember, all data used most be backup with its source. Anacondas from Venezuela: As far I know, the only place were anacondas had been studies by scientists is in the Venezuelan are known as "Los Llanos". This magnificent place is also home of other giants like the capibara or the jaguar, which in this places reach giant sizes. I have created this table, showing the largest specimens recorded by scientists in the field:  *This image is copyright of its original author It seems that the largest recorded in this are was of 6.5 m, however we most take in count the case of the 5.5 m anaconda from NatGeo, that was latter measured and was found that its true size was much less than the previous presented. Sadly, the Biologist that measure that snake is dead, so we can't corroborate the reliability of the measurement. Enjoy the data, there is more to come. :)
The "bible" of anacondas:
Dr Jesús Rivas is by far, the best expert on anacondas in the world. He have published several documents about they behavior and have captured more specimens than anyone in the world. I had talk (via email) with him and he is a great person and a excellence scientist. Here is the OFFICIAL page from this amazing scientist and naturalist: http://www.anacondas.org/ His greatest work is his thesis named "Rivas, J. A. 2000. Life history of the green anacondas with emphasis on its conservation Biology." In this work, he summarize the data of several years of study on this animal. Obviously new documents has been since that time, but if you want to know about the REAL anaconda, you MOST read this paper. Just like Schaller book (The deer and the tiger) was like the "bible" for tiger conservation, this document of Dr Rivas apply for this name, although this time for anacondas. About the size, this thesis presents what is the best and most complete table about the size of this magnificent animal, summarizing the data of 780 specimens captured for 7 years. If this sample is not conclusive, I don't know what it is. Check it out:  *This image is copyright of its original author Source: http://www.anacondas.org/diss/disser.pdf This table states that the largest anaconda was a female of 521 cm and 97.5 kg. However, in a document of 1995, Dr Rivas mentioned another female of 530 cm and 82.5 kg. He told me that this were two different animals. Why he don't put it in the table of 2000? I don't know, but he corroborated the different specimens so I included in my table for future references. Here is the document of 1995 with that long specimen: http://www.anacondas.org/bozal.pdf Finally, like is the tradition, here is the picture of the 97.5 kg anaconda:  *This image is copyright of its original author The guy in the picture is Frank Indiviglio, another Biologist that works in Los Llanos, Venezuela. In my next post, the record Guinness will be presented here.  Record Guinness: Here are the pages about the anaconda and other giant snakes, from the book "Animal facts and feats" from 1978, or Gerard Wood:  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author This last is not in the list of records, but is a huge snake of 781 cm that eaten a peccary:  *This image is copyright of its original author I will prepare an analysis of these records (those that I believe are reliable and those that no), but for the moment, this is the raw data. Until tomorrow, greetings to all. :) 
Guate could you also post pages 128 and 129? I want to see the king cobra section. Thanks
The anaconda captured by Brady Barr and Maria Munoz was measured at 5.22 metres on camera and weighed 103kg, where did you get the 5.5 metre from? Also I don't know how Jesus Rivas can measure it a week later and it comes up one metre shorter. Could you provide the source please? Thanks
Hello Richardrli. In fact, if you see the documentary, the anaconda measured by Dr Barr was of 5.5 m in camera. This was confirmed by Dr Rivas in the same document that present the corrected figure of 4.3 m taken a week latter. Here is the source:
http://www.anacondas.org/measuring.pdf Pg. 3: "An error of two or three feet does not seem to be out of the question when measuring a snake that measures, say, more than 20 feet in length. Anecdotally, we may point out that in 2003 an anaconda was measured by a well-known herpetologist to be 5.5 meters long in the llanos of Venezuela. However, the following week we had the opportunity to measure the same snake, and it proved to be only 4.3 meters long!!" The image of that anaconda:  *This image is copyright of its original author The animal is truly heavy, but not as long, apparently. Hope this clarify the issue. I am preparing an analysis about the records of the anaconda in Guinness, and I have found that the original estimation for the large specimen of 846 cm was of 400 lb, not 500 lb. The next versions of the Guinness book used the last figure without any real justification. Interesting, don't you think?. Out of topic, but really interesting, here is the longest snake that Dr Barr have measured, a huge python of 620 cm (20.5 ft), measured on camera. Here is the video, it is in Spanish, but is the only version that I could found: Here is the picture of that animal:  *This image is copyright of its original author It is really long, although not so heavy, probably weighing the same (or a little less) than the large anaconda of 103 kg.
The largest reliable anaconda, it is real?
Some sources quote as the largest reliable anaconda a specimen of 11.4 m in length. They quote Pope (1961) as the source of this record. Let’s see the case. I have found a document of Pope (1973) where he mentions this record, here are the pages:  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author It seems that although he “accepts” it, it is also mentioned that many herpetologists remain skeptical of this record. Here is the source in the magnificent book of Gerard Wood (1978) “Animal facts and feats”:  *This image is copyright of its original author Although the method seems reliable (steel tape used) the problem is that there is not a single evidence of that specimen, apart from the word of the witness. This is the typical case of “I saw an UFO, I have no evidence, but trust me”. We can only trust in the word of Lamon, but if we choose to not, then the record is automatically unreliable. Judge by yourself.  At petition of Richard, here are the pages 128 and 129, with the records of the king cobra and other snakes:  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author This other book shows a captive 14 ft (427 cm) king cobra.  *This image is copyright of its original author Did I tell you a secret? The king cobra is my favorite snake (anaconda is in 2nd. Place). 
The report of the 500 lb anaconda is FALSE!!!
I was digging even more in this new world of the reptiles and guess what? I have found that the famous, often quoted, record of 500 lb for the heaviest anaconda is a misquote of already existing estimation. Check this out:  *This image is copyright of its original author This image shows the often quoted record, the giant of 846 cm in length and an estimated weight of 500 lb. However, I relay in the original source of all this animal records (Wood, 1978) and check what I found:  *This image is copyright of its original author The length is the same, the girth is the same, the place is the same, but the estimated weight is of 400 lb!!! How and when Guinness add 100 lb more in the estimation??? At the end, this estimation, based on a previous estimation, is WRONG. At the end, although the record of 846 cm could be reliable (there is no more data about this specimen, sadly), the estimated record was at 400 lb, but check this final image: *This image is copyright of its original author It seems that, hypothetically, a 9 m anaconda could weight 272 kg, however, we must take in count that this study used captive specimens, which are often fatter than wild specimens, especially among snakes. There is another record of 360 lb (163 kg) for a wild 594 cm anaconda (I will discuss it latter), and based on the data, it seems that this could be the highest reliable weight for the species, although some details are unclear. Gerard Wood and the giant anacondas: Gerard present a good list of possible real giants among the anacondas, some of them seems to be real measurements, other seems estimations and a few are purely skin records. A has read the full account, and from my point of view, these are the specimens that I could classify as “reliable” from the entire list: 1. A huge snake hunted in Guayana that measured 594 cm (19 ft 6 in). It seems that it was actually measured and the length itself doesn’t seems inaccurate. Although Wood don’t mention any weight, Harper & Row (1972) states that Verrill (the guy that hunted the snake) reported a weight of 360 lb (163.3 kg). Here is the image:  *This image is copyright of its original author How reliable is the account? I could not say, but from my point of view, the length seems reliable, but the weight represent a problem, as it is the highest true body mass recorded by a good margin. Besides, even if we believe that this is a reliable figure (which I, more or less, do), it probably included some stomach content, was pregnant or both! 2. A large specimen of 548 cm (18 ft) hunted in Guayana by Robert Schomburgk. No other data is available. Again, not a spectacular specimen, compared with other records. 3. A large female of 525 cm (17 ft 3 in), hunted in the Yampari River, Guayana (again? :dodgy:); had a girth of 711 mm (28 in) but because it had just killed an 243 cm-8 ft alligator. 4. The famous record from Schurz of the huge female of 846 cm (27 ft 9 in) in length, a girth of 111 cm (44 in) and an estimated weight of 400 lb (181 kg). The snake came from Brazil. 5. A large 731 cm (24 ft) female shot by Paul Fountain in Brazil, with a girth of 106 cm (42 in). 6. A Peruvian snake of 816 cm (26 ft 9 in) hunted in Iquitos by Col Leonard Clark. This are the only six specimens that I believe, it could be reliable. The following two seems to be, from my point of view, just estimations. a. A large specimen of “just over 670 cm (22 ft)” hunted in Guayana by Cap J. G. Stedman. Why only “just” and not the true figure? b. Alfred Wallace wrote that he never say an Amazonian anaconda of “over 609 cm (20 ft)”. This seems to be just a extreme possible figure, not a true record. The final record is of a female of 781 cm (25 ft 8 in) that was eating a collared peccary estimated to weight 45 kg (100 lb). This record is, apparently, the same mentioned by Boos (2001). Check the account:  *This image is copyright of its original author The length is not the same, and there is no mention of the weight (370 lb, without the peccary), but the presence of the peccary weighing 100 lb is very very similar to be ignored just like that. However, at least in the last case, the snake was, apparently, of “just” 488 cm in length.:exclamation: Using this data from wild specimens, it is possible to suggest that female anacondas from 525 – 846 cm in length are fairly possible in the wild, and that although the largest of these females was estimated at 400 lb, the heaviest specimen recorded was of 360 lb (c.163 kg), probably including some food or caused by pregnancy. What do you thing guys???
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. :)
Here's some more info, it seems the largest reliably documented by scientists was this one in Colombia in 1978, measured by William Lamar.
 *This image is copyright of its original author This is a 7.49 metre specimen. I have a feeling that the Green Anaconda at maximum sizes may not be shorter than the Reticulated Python Some specimens from Trinidad & Tobago  *This image is copyright of its original author
Excellent data, could you provide the name of the book or document where you get this?
The anaconda of Lamar: I had this image since some time. I did not used because it is a second hand one, however, the data on it very accurate:  *This image is copyright of its original author It have the full record, with details, of the giant 7.5 m anaconda taken in Colombia. This record is not mentioned by Gerard Wood because the book that I have was published in 1978, the same year that the anaconda was hunted. Is probable that this specimen was mentioned in the edition of 1983, sadly, I don't have that one. By the way, based on the data that I posted, I hypothesized that the largest anacondas could reach a length of c.7 m and a weight of c.130 kg. The record of Lamar is not too far of that figure, so I don't see any problem is suggest that this record could be reliable. It will be good if we could found more data, after all, the only data that we have about this specimen is the same amount of data that we have about the giant 846 cm snake hunted in Brazil in the 1960's by Schurz. At least, in the case of Lamar, he was an herpetologist, so this could give him more credit on his figures. However, don't forget the anaconda from NatGeo, based on that case, the Lamar anaconda could be of just c.7 m (even less), but I am only speculating in this case. The other snake from the Amazonas (620 cm) was a large one, but fits very well with the records that I presented from Venezuela. So, I think it is reliable too.
I updated all the images with a new service. I will NEVER use Photobucket again!!! [img]images/smilies/angry.gif[/img]
(04-01-2014, 09:34 AM)'Richardrli' Wrote: Here's some more info, it seems the largest reliably documented by scientists was this one in Colombia in 1978, measured by William Lamar. I found the source of this data and the full account:  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Good as it is, the same source in clear, some of this information is pure estimation.   *This image is copyright of its original author I assume this photograph is known, but it's nice one anyhow. (04-12-2014, 03:19 AM)'peter' Wrote:Huge specimen, a perfect 5.5 m long candidate. About its weight, we can see that its heavely gorged, so I estimate a weight of 120 kg empty belly, in the best case. Did you remember where it was captured (Brazil, Venezuela, etc)? 
do giant Anacondas exist? even India is a python country, I've herad a lot of stories of giant man eating pythons but I dont know how far such stories cab be trusted [img]images/smilies/undecided.gif[/img]
This should make a fascinating read. According to the Indians of the Amazon, Anaconda is considerably larger than its scientifically accepted length which is disputed. The Indians tell stories about a creature called Sucuriju Gigante, Boiuna, or Cobra Grand known to be an Anaconda of aquatic habits and immense size. Perhaps the most amazing report comes from Tabatinga on the River Oiapoc in the Guapore territory. In 1948, the Rio de Janeiro newspaper told of a snake that came ashore and measured an amazing one hundred and fifteen feet in length. Soldiers fired at least five hundred machine gun bullets into the beast before it was finally slain. Although the body was measured and photographed, the carcass was pushed back into the river. One imagines that the stench from the nearly immovable object would be stunning. The explorer Percy H. Fawcett also told of another species of snake that could be found in Araguaya and Tocantins basins, known as the Dormidera (the sleeper) from the loud snoring noise it makes, which is said to be black in variety and much larger. In 1907, Colonel Percy Fawcett was surveying the Amazon Basin for the Royal Geographical Society of London. He heard many tales of massive snakes from the local tribes, paid them no heed. Soon, events were to prove them accurate. He and his Indian crew were slowly drifting down Rio Abuna when almost under flimsy canoe appeared a giant anaconda. "We were drifting easily along on the sluggish current not far below the confluence of Tigor and the Rio Negro when almost under the bow there appeared a triangular head and several feet of undulating body. It was a giant anaconda. I sprang for my rifle as the creature began to make its way up the bank, and hardly waiting to aim smashed a .44 soft-nosed bullet into its spine, ten feet below the wicked head. At once there was a flurry of foam, and several heavy thumps against the boat's keel, shaking us as though we had run on a snag.." Fawcett describes how they stopped and examined the body. Though he had no ruler, he guessed the length of the creature at sixty-two feet with a twelve-inch diameter. http://www.phfawcettsweb.org/anaconda.htm http://colonel-percy-fawcett.blog.co.uk/...s-8180497/
Great stories Vinod, thanks to post them.
These type of tales are very common in South America, there is people that will tell you, at this day, that there are still huge anacondas of 30 meters that kill bulls in the water. However, ALL this tales are just that, popular tales and myths with zero confirmation. After a deep investigation, the largest anaconda actually confirmed was close to 7 meters, while the heaviest was of about 130 kg "empty". These seems to be the maximum figures for the "giant" anaconda, but take in count that this is already a huge size for any snake. |
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